diff --git a/.github/workflows/publish.yml b/.github/workflows/publish.yml
index fecab14..a1e077d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/publish.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/publish.yml
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@ jobs:
     steps:
       - name: Checkout
         uses: actions/checkout@v3
+      - name: Write VERSION file
+        run: echo ${{ github.event.release.tag_name }} > VERSION
       - name: Update pyproject.toml
         run: sed -i 's/0\.0\.0/${{ github.event.release.tag_name }}/' pyproject.toml
       - name: Login to Registry
diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 35867c2..ef4daa9 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ ENV PATH="/root/.local/bin:${PATH}"
 COPY --from=prep /build/bowtie2/* /usr/local/bin/
 COPY --from=prep /build/pigz-2.8/pigz /usr/local/bin/pigz
 COPY --from=rust /build/target/wheels/count_nucleotides_and_seqs*.whl ./
-COPY workflow.py pyproject.toml poetry.lock ./
+COPY workflow.py pyproject.toml poetry.lock VERSION* ./
 RUN poetry export > requirements.txt
 RUN pip install --upgrade pip
 RUN pip install -r requirements.txt