diff --git a/.github/scripts/pre-release.mjs b/.github/scripts/pre-release.mjs
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..15a191c0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/scripts/pre-release.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env node
+import { readFileSync, existsSync } from 'node:fs';
+import { join, dirname } from 'node:path';
+import { fileURLToPath } from 'node:url';
+import {
+	findRootDir,
+	runCommand,
+	getPackageVersion,
+	createAndPushTag
+} from './utils.mjs';
+
+const __filename = fileURLToPath(import.meta.url);
+const __dirname = dirname(__filename);
+
+const rootDir = findRootDir(__dirname);
+const extensionPkgPath = join(rootDir, 'apps', 'extension', 'package.json');
+
+console.log('🚀 Starting pre-release process...');
+
+// Check if we're in RC mode
+const preJsonPath = join(rootDir, '.changeset', 'pre.json');
+if (!existsSync(preJsonPath)) {
+	console.error('⚠️  Not in RC mode. Run "npx changeset pre enter rc" first.');
+	process.exit(1);
+}
+
+try {
+	const preJson = JSON.parse(readFileSync(preJsonPath, 'utf8'));
+	if (preJson.tag !== 'rc') {
+		console.error(`⚠️  Not in RC mode. Current tag: ${preJson.tag}`);
+		process.exit(1);
+	}
+} catch (error) {
+	console.error('Failed to read pre.json:', error.message);
+	process.exit(1);
+}
+
+// Get current extension version
+const extensionVersion = getPackageVersion(extensionPkgPath);
+console.log(`Extension version: ${extensionVersion}`);
+
+// Run changeset publish for npm packages
+console.log('📦 Publishing npm packages...');
+runCommand('npx', ['changeset', 'publish']);
+
+// Create tag for extension pre-release if it doesn't exist
+const extensionTag = `extension-rc@${extensionVersion}`;
+const tagCreated = createAndPushTag(extensionTag);
+
+if (tagCreated) {
+	console.log('This will trigger the extension-pre-release workflow...');
+}
+
+console.log('✅ Pre-release process completed!');
diff --git a/.github/scripts/release.mjs b/.github/scripts/release.mjs
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..fddae5d9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/scripts/release.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env node
+import { existsSync, unlinkSync } from 'node:fs';
+import { join, dirname } from 'node:path';
+import { fileURLToPath } from 'node:url';
+import { findRootDir, runCommand } from './utils.mjs';
+
+const __filename = fileURLToPath(import.meta.url);
+const __dirname = dirname(__filename);
+
+const rootDir = findRootDir(__dirname);
+
+console.log('🚀 Starting release process...');
+
+// Double-check we're not in pre-release mode (safety net)
+const preJsonPath = join(rootDir, '.changeset', 'pre.json');
+if (existsSync(preJsonPath)) {
+	console.log('⚠️  Warning: pre.json still exists. Removing it...');
+	unlinkSync(preJsonPath);
+}
+
+// Check if the extension version has changed and tag it
+// This prevents changeset from trying to publish the private package
+runCommand('node', [join(__dirname, 'tag-extension.mjs')]);
+
+// Run changeset publish for npm packages
+runCommand('npx', ['changeset', 'publish']);
+
+console.log('✅ Release process completed!');
+
+// The extension tag (if created) will trigger the extension-release workflow
diff --git a/.github/scripts/release.sh b/.github/scripts/release.sh
deleted file mode 100755
index ce66c3d1..00000000
--- a/.github/scripts/release.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,21 +0,0 @@
-#!/bin/bash
-set -e
-
-echo "🚀 Starting release process..."
-
-# Double-check we're not in pre-release mode (safety net)
-if [ -f .changeset/pre.json ]; then
-  echo "⚠️  Warning: pre.json still exists. Removing it..."
-  rm -f .changeset/pre.json
-fi
-
-# Check if the extension version has changed and tag it
-# This prevents changeset from trying to publish the private package
-node .github/scripts/tag-extension.mjs
-
-# Run changeset publish for npm packages
-npx changeset publish
-
-echo "✅ Release process completed!"
-
-# The extension tag (if created) will trigger the extension-release workflow
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.github/scripts/tag-extension.mjs b/.github/scripts/tag-extension.mjs
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index 7282d756..e34d93bd
--- a/.github/scripts/tag-extension.mjs
+++ b/.github/scripts/tag-extension.mjs
@@ -1,33 +1,13 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env node
 import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
-import { spawnSync } from 'node:child_process';
-import { readFileSync, existsSync } from 'node:fs';
-import { join, dirname, resolve } from 'node:path';
+import { readFileSync } from 'node:fs';
+import { join, dirname } from 'node:path';
 import { fileURLToPath } from 'node:url';
+import { findRootDir, createAndPushTag } from './utils.mjs';
 
 const __filename = fileURLToPath(import.meta.url);
 const __dirname = dirname(__filename);
 
-// Find the root directory by looking for package.json
-function findRootDir(startDir) {
-	let currentDir = resolve(startDir);
-	while (currentDir !== '/') {
-		if (existsSync(join(currentDir, 'package.json'))) {
-			// Verify it's the root package.json by checking for expected fields
-			try {
-				const pkg = JSON.parse(
-					readFileSync(join(currentDir, 'package.json'), 'utf8')
-				);
-				if (pkg.name === 'task-master-ai' || pkg.repository) {
-					return currentDir;
-				}
-			} catch {}
-		}
-		currentDir = dirname(currentDir);
-	}
-	throw new Error('Could not find root directory');
-}
-
 const rootDir = findRootDir(__dirname);
 
 // Read the extension's package.json
@@ -43,95 +23,11 @@ try {
 	process.exit(1);
 }
 
-// Read root package.json for repository info
-const rootPkgPath = join(rootDir, 'package.json');
-let rootPkg;
-try {
-	const rootPkgContent = readFileSync(rootPkgPath, 'utf8');
-	rootPkg = JSON.parse(rootPkgContent);
-} catch (error) {
-	console.error('Failed to read root package.json:', error.message);
-	process.exit(1);
-}
-
 // Ensure we have required fields
 assert(pkg.name, 'package.json must have a name field');
 assert(pkg.version, 'package.json must have a version field');
-assert(rootPkg.repository, 'root package.json must have a repository field');
 
 const tag = `${pkg.name}@${pkg.version}`;
 
-// Get repository URL from root package.json
-// Get repository URL and clean it up for git ls-remote
-let repoUrl = rootPkg.repository.url || rootPkg.repository;
-if (typeof repoUrl === 'string') {
-	// Convert git+https://github.com/... to https://github.com/...
-	repoUrl = repoUrl.replace(/^git\+/, '');
-	// Ensure it ends with .git for proper remote access
-	if (!repoUrl.endsWith('.git')) {
-		repoUrl += '.git';
-	}
-}
-
-console.log(`Checking remote repository: ${repoUrl} for tag: ${tag}`);
-
-let gitResult = spawnSync('git', ['ls-remote', repoUrl, tag], {
-	encoding: 'utf8',
-	env: { ...process.env }
-});
-
-if (gitResult.status !== 0) {
-	console.error('Git ls-remote failed:');
-	console.error('Exit code:', gitResult.status);
-	console.error('Error:', gitResult.error);
-	console.error('Stderr:', gitResult.stderr);
-	console.error('Command:', `git ls-remote ${repoUrl} ${tag}`);
-
-	// For CI environments, try using origin instead of the full URL
-	if (process.env.CI) {
-		console.log('Retrying with origin remote...');
-		gitResult = spawnSync('git', ['ls-remote', 'origin', tag], {
-			encoding: 'utf8'
-		});
-
-		if (gitResult.status !== 0) {
-			throw new Error(
-				`Failed to check remote for tag ${tag}. Exit code: ${gitResult.status}`
-			);
-		}
-	} else {
-		throw new Error(
-			`Failed to check remote for tag ${tag}. Exit code: ${gitResult.status}`
-		);
-	}
-}
-
-const exists = String(gitResult.stdout).trim() !== '';
-
-if (!exists) {
-	console.log(`Creating new extension tag: ${tag}`);
-
-	// Create the tag
-	const tagResult = spawnSync('git', ['tag', tag]);
-	if (tagResult.status !== 0) {
-		console.error(
-			'Failed to create tag:',
-			tagResult.error || tagResult.stderr.toString()
-		);
-		process.exit(1);
-	}
-
-	// Push the tag
-	const pushResult = spawnSync('git', ['push', 'origin', tag]);
-	if (pushResult.status !== 0) {
-		console.error(
-			'Failed to push tag:',
-			pushResult.error || pushResult.stderr.toString()
-		);
-		process.exit(1);
-	}
-
-	console.log(`✅ Successfully created and pushed tag: ${tag}`);
-} else {
-	console.log(`Extension tag already exists: ${tag}`);
-}
+// Create and push the tag if it doesn't exist
+createAndPushTag(tag);
diff --git a/.github/scripts/utils.mjs b/.github/scripts/utils.mjs
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..e40b6a3e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/scripts/utils.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,88 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env node
+import { spawnSync } from 'node:child_process';
+import { readFileSync } from 'node:fs';
+import { join, dirname, resolve } from 'node:path';
+
+// Find the root directory by looking for package.json with task-master-ai
+export function findRootDir(startDir) {
+	let currentDir = resolve(startDir);
+	while (currentDir !== '/') {
+		const pkgPath = join(currentDir, 'package.json');
+		try {
+			const pkg = JSON.parse(readFileSync(pkgPath, 'utf8'));
+			if (pkg.name === 'task-master-ai' || pkg.repository) {
+				return currentDir;
+			}
+		} catch {}
+		currentDir = dirname(currentDir);
+	}
+	throw new Error('Could not find root directory');
+}
+
+// Run a command with proper error handling
+export function runCommand(command, args = [], options = {}) {
+	console.log(`Running: ${command} ${args.join(' ')}`);
+	const result = spawnSync(command, args, {
+		encoding: 'utf8',
+		stdio: 'inherit',
+		...options
+	});
+
+	if (result.status !== 0) {
+		console.error(`Command failed with exit code ${result.status}`);
+		process.exit(result.status);
+	}
+
+	return result;
+}
+
+// Get package version from a package.json file
+export function getPackageVersion(packagePath) {
+	try {
+		const pkg = JSON.parse(readFileSync(packagePath, 'utf8'));
+		return pkg.version;
+	} catch (error) {
+		console.error(
+			`Failed to read package version from ${packagePath}:`,
+			error.message
+		);
+		process.exit(1);
+	}
+}
+
+// Check if a git tag exists on remote
+export function tagExistsOnRemote(tag, remote = 'origin') {
+	const result = spawnSync('git', ['ls-remote', remote, tag], {
+		encoding: 'utf8'
+	});
+
+	return result.status === 0 && result.stdout.trim() !== '';
+}
+
+// Create and push a git tag if it doesn't exist
+export function createAndPushTag(tag, remote = 'origin') {
+	// Check if tag already exists
+	if (tagExistsOnRemote(tag, remote)) {
+		console.log(`Tag ${tag} already exists on remote, skipping`);
+		return false;
+	}
+
+	console.log(`Creating new tag: ${tag}`);
+
+	// Create the tag locally
+	const tagResult = spawnSync('git', ['tag', tag]);
+	if (tagResult.status !== 0) {
+		console.error('Failed to create tag:', tagResult.error || tagResult.stderr);
+		process.exit(1);
+	}
+
+	// Push the tag to remote
+	const pushResult = spawnSync('git', ['push', remote, tag]);
+	if (pushResult.status !== 0) {
+		console.error('Failed to push tag:', pushResult.error || pushResult.stderr);
+		process.exit(1);
+	}
+
+	console.log(`✅ Successfully created and pushed tag: ${tag}`);
+	return true;
+}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/extension-pre-release.yml b/.github/workflows/extension-pre-release.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..44526b3b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/extension-pre-release.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,110 @@
+name: Extension Pre-Release
+
+on:
+  push:
+    tags:
+      - "extension-rc@*"
+
+permissions:
+  contents: write
+
+concurrency: extension-pre-release-${{ github.ref }}
+
+jobs:
+  publish-extension-rc:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    environment: extension-release
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - uses: actions/setup-node@v4
+        with:
+          node-version: 20
+
+      - name: Cache node_modules
+        uses: actions/cache@v4
+        with:
+          path: |
+            node_modules
+            */*/node_modules
+          key: ${{ runner.os }}-node-${{ hashFiles('**/package-lock.json') }}
+          restore-keys: |
+            ${{ runner.os }}-node-
+
+      - name: Install Extension Dependencies
+        working-directory: apps/extension
+        run: npm ci
+        timeout-minutes: 5
+
+      - name: Type Check Extension
+        working-directory: apps/extension
+        run: npm run check-types
+        env:
+          FORCE_COLOR: 1
+
+      - name: Build Extension
+        working-directory: apps/extension
+        run: npm run build
+        env:
+          FORCE_COLOR: 1
+
+      - name: Package Extension
+        working-directory: apps/extension
+        run: npm run package
+        env:
+          FORCE_COLOR: 1
+
+      - name: Create VSIX Package (Pre-Release)
+        working-directory: apps/extension/vsix-build
+        run: npx vsce package --no-dependencies --pre-release
+        env:
+          FORCE_COLOR: 1
+
+      - name: Get VSIX filename
+        id: vsix-info
+        working-directory: apps/extension/vsix-build
+        run: |
+          VSIX_FILE=$(find . -maxdepth 1 -name "*.vsix" -type f | head -n1 | xargs basename)
+          if [ -z "$VSIX_FILE" ]; then
+            echo "Error: No VSIX file found"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+          echo "vsix-filename=$VSIX_FILE" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+          echo "Found VSIX: $VSIX_FILE"
+
+      - name: Publish to VS Code Marketplace (Pre-Release)
+        working-directory: apps/extension/vsix-build
+        run: npx vsce publish --packagePath "${{ steps.vsix-info.outputs.vsix-filename }}" --pre-release
+        env:
+          VSCE_PAT: ${{ secrets.VSCE_PAT }}
+          FORCE_COLOR: 1
+
+      - name: Install Open VSX CLI
+        run: npm install -g ovsx
+
+      - name: Publish to Open VSX Registry (Pre-Release)
+        working-directory: apps/extension/vsix-build
+        run: ovsx publish "${{ steps.vsix-info.outputs.vsix-filename }}" --pre-release
+        env:
+          OVSX_PAT: ${{ secrets.OVSX_PAT }}
+          FORCE_COLOR: 1
+
+      - name: Upload Build Artifacts
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
+        with:
+          name: extension-pre-release-${{ github.ref_name }}
+          path: |
+            apps/extension/vsix-build/*.vsix
+            apps/extension/dist/
+          retention-days: 30
+
+  notify-success:
+    needs: publish-extension-rc
+    if: success()
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - name: Success Notification
+        run: |
+          echo "🚀 Extension ${{ github.ref_name }} successfully published as pre-release!"
+          echo "📦 Available on VS Code Marketplace (Pre-Release)"
+          echo "🌍 Available on Open VSX Registry (Pre-Release)"
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.github/workflows/extension-release.yml b/.github/workflows/extension-release.yml
index 244c490f..111bc80f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/extension-release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/extension-release.yml
@@ -89,32 +89,6 @@ jobs:
           OVSX_PAT: ${{ secrets.OVSX_PAT }}
           FORCE_COLOR: 1
 
-      - name: Create GitHub Release
-        uses: actions/create-release@v1
-        env:
-          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
-        with:
-          tag_name: ${{ github.ref_name }}
-          release_name: Extension ${{ github.ref_name }}
-          body: |
-            VS Code Extension Release ${{ github.ref_name }}
-            
-            **Marketplaces:**
-            - [VS Code Marketplace](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=Hamster.task-master-hamster)
-            - [Open VSX Registry](https://open-vsx.org/extension/Hamster/task-master-hamster)
-          draft: false
-          prerelease: false
-
-      - name: Upload VSIX to Release
-        uses: actions/upload-release-asset@v1
-        env:
-          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
-        with:
-          upload_url: ${{ steps.create_release.outputs.upload_url }}
-          asset_path: apps/extension/vsix-build/${{ steps.vsix-info.outputs.vsix-filename }}
-          asset_name: ${{ steps.vsix-info.outputs.vsix-filename }}
-          asset_content_type: application/zip
-
       - name: Upload Build Artifacts
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
         with:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/pre-release.yml b/.github/workflows/pre-release.yml
index 2a5de2f9..16347764 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pre-release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pre-release.yml
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     # Only allow pre-releases on non-main branches
     if: github.ref != 'refs/heads/main'
+    environment: extension-release
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
@@ -50,10 +51,12 @@ jobs:
       - name: Create Release Candidate Pull Request or Publish Release Candidate to npm
         uses: changesets/action@v1
         with:
-          publish: npm run release
+          publish: node ./.github/scripts/pre-release.mjs
         env:
           GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
           NPM_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.NPM_TOKEN }}
+          VSCE_PAT: ${{ secrets.VSCE_PAT }}
+          OVSX_PAT: ${{ secrets.OVSX_PAT }}
 
       - name: Commit & Push changes
         uses: actions-js/push@master
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 3c439f4d..0e21dce0 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Create Release Pull Request or Publish to npm
         uses: changesets/action@v1
         with:
-          publish: ./.github/scripts/release.sh
+          publish: node ./.github/scripts/release.mjs
         env:
           GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
           NPM_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.NPM_TOKEN }}