diff --git a/lib/github.js b/lib/github.js
index 9544515..6e3c244 100644
--- a/lib/github.js
+++ b/lib/github.js
@@ -37,23 +37,24 @@ exports.upload = (gh, url, path) => __awaiter(void 0, void 0, void 0, function*
     });
 });
 exports.release = (config, gh) => __awaiter(void 0, void 0, void 0, function* () {
-    let [owner, repo] = config.github_repository.split("/");
+    const [owner, repo] = config.github_repository.split("/");
+    const tag = config.github_ref.replace("refs/tags/", "");
     try {
         let release = yield gh.repos.getReleaseByTag({
             owner,
             repo,
-            tag: config.github_ref
+            tag
         });
         return release.data;
     }
     catch (error) {
         if (error.status === 404) {
-            console.log("Creating new release...");
             try {
-                const tag_name = config.github_ref.replace("refs/tags/", "");
-                const name = config.input_name || tag_name;
+                const tag_name = tag;
+                const name = config.input_name || tag;
                 const body = config.input_body;
                 const draft = config.input_draft;
+                console.log(`👩‍🏭 Creating new GitHub release for tag ${tag_name}...`);
                 let release = yield gh.repos.createRelease({
                     owner,
                     repo,
@@ -65,12 +66,13 @@ exports.release = (config, gh) => __awaiter(void 0, void 0, void 0, function* ()
                 return release.data;
             }
             catch (error) {
-                console.log(`created failed with status: ${error.status}`);
+                // presume a race with competing metrix runs
+                console.log(`GitHub release failed with status: ${error.status}`);
                 return exports.release(config, gh);
             }
         }
         else {
-            console.log(`Unexpected error fetching github release for tag ${config.github_ref}: ${error}`);
+            console.log(`Unexpected error fetching GitHub release for tag ${config.github_ref}: ${error}`);
             throw error;
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/github.ts b/src/github.ts
index f46e48c..26f3be4 100644
--- a/src/github.ts
+++ b/src/github.ts
@@ -56,22 +56,23 @@ export const release = async (
   config: Config,
   gh: GitHub
 ): Promise<Release> => {
-  let [owner, repo] = config.github_repository.split("/");
+  const [owner, repo] = config.github_repository.split("/");
+  const tag = config.github_ref.replace("refs/tags/", "");
   try {
     let release = await gh.repos.getReleaseByTag({
       owner,
       repo,
-      tag: config.github_ref
+      tag
     });
     return release.data;
   } catch (error) {
     if (error.status === 404) {
-      console.log("Creating new release...");
       try {
-        const tag_name = config.github_ref.replace("refs/tags/", "");
-        const name = config.input_name || tag_name;
+        const tag_name = tag;
+        const name = config.input_name || tag;
         const body = config.input_body;
         const draft = config.input_draft;
+        console.log(`👩‍🏭 Creating new GitHub release for tag ${tag_name}...`);
         let release = await gh.repos.createRelease({
           owner,
           repo,
@@ -82,11 +83,12 @@ export const release = async (
         });
         return release.data;
       } catch (error) {
-        console.log(`created failed with status: ${error.status}`);
+        // presume a race with competing metrix runs
+        console.log(`GitHub release failed with status: ${error.status}`);
         return release(config, gh);
       }
     } else {
-      console.log(`Unexpected error fetching github release for tag ${config.github_ref}: ${error}`);
+      console.log(`Unexpected error fetching GitHub release for tag ${config.github_ref}: ${error}`);
       throw error;
     }
   }