diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 2bd39cf..7bc3632 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -221,6 +221,8 @@ jobs:
 
           git push origin $(git rev-parse HEAD):refs/heads/$BUILD_TAG
 
+          hack/smoke-test-release-branch.sh --release-branch $BUILD_TAG
+
           gh pr create -t "Prepare for next version" -b "Please, merge to update version numbers and prepare for release $NEXT_VERSION." -H $BUILD_TAG -B $RELEASE_BRANCH
           
         # For a patch release, everything is ready to publish the generated charts.
@@ -229,6 +231,8 @@ jobs:
         then 
           git push origin $(git rev-parse HEAD):refs/heads/$BUILD_TAG
 
+          hack/smoke-test-release-branch.sh --release-branch $BUILD_TAG
+
           gh pr create -t "Prepare for next version" -b "Please, merge to update version numbers and prepare for release $NEXT_VERSION." -H $BUILD_TAG -B master
          
           # We did a patch release. In this case we need to go back to the version branch and do changes 
@@ -246,4 +250,4 @@ jobs:
           
           git push origin $(git rev-parse HEAD):refs/tags/$RELEASE_VERSION
 
-        fi
\ No newline at end of file
+        fi