diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 5e79bc0aeb..2cab939c5b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+# Will automatically generate relases for version bumped code.
+# Can optionally be run as workflow action to generate a soft release (no publish steps, just s3 and github release)
+
 name: release
 
 # prevent concurrent version bumps + releases from running at the same time
@@ -11,6 +14,12 @@ on:
       - alpha*
       - beta*
       - rc*
+  workflow_dispatch:
+    inputs:
+      network_version_mode:
+        description: 'Set NETWORK_VERSION_MODE if desired. (This restricts the network from contacting any other network mode. If left empty, the default protocol is used)'
+        required: false
+        default: ''
 
 env:
   RELEASE_PLZ_BIN_URL: https://github.com/MarcoIeni/release-plz/releases/download/release-plz-v0.3.43/release-plz-x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu.tar.gz
@@ -21,7 +30,8 @@ jobs:
   build:
     if: |
       github.repository_owner == 'maidsafe' &&
-      startsWith(github.event.head_commit.message, 'chore(release):')
+      startsWith(github.event.head_commit.message, 'chore(release):') ||
+      github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch'
     name: build
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
     strategy:
@@ -46,14 +56,11 @@ jobs:
       - shell: bash
         run: cargo install just
 
-      # Set the network versioning based on our branch
-      # main/stable branches defaults to open compatibility. Other branches will be versioned by their branch name.
+      # Set the network versioning based on our branch or workflow input
       - name: provide network versioning
         shell: bash
         run: |
-          if [[ "$GITHUB_REF_NAME" != "main" && ! "$GITHUB_REF_NAME" =~ ^stable && "$GITHUB_REF_NAME" != "alpha" && "$GITHUB_REF_NAME" != "beta" ]]; then
-            echo "NETWORK_VERSION_MODE=restricted" >> $GITHUB_ENV
-          fi
+          echo "NETWORK_VERSION_MODE=${{ github.event.inputs.network_version_mode || '' }}" >> $GITHUB_ENV
 
       - name: build release artifacts
         shell: bash
@@ -77,8 +84,9 @@ jobs:
   release:
     if: |
       github.repository_owner == 'maidsafe' &&
-      startsWith(github.event.head_commit.message, 'chore(release):')
-    name: publish and release
+      startsWith(github.event.head_commit.message, 'chore(release):') ||
+      github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch'
+    name: publish flows and release creation
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     needs: [build]
     env:
@@ -140,12 +148,12 @@ jobs:
 
       # only publish if we're on the stable branch
       - name: Conditionally remove 'publish = false' from workspace in release-plz.toml on stable branch
-        if: startsWith(github.ref_name, 'stable')
+        if: startsWith(github.ref_name, 'stable/') && github.event_name != 'workflow_dispatch'
         run: |
           ls -la
           sed -i '/^\[workspace\]/,/^\[/ {/^publish = false$/d;}' ./release-plz.toml
 
-      - name: publish and release
+      - name: upload to s3
         shell: bash
         run: |
           # Package versioned assets as tar.gz and zip archives, and upload them to S3.
@@ -178,6 +186,11 @@ jobs:
           just upload-release-assets-to-s3 "safenode_rpc_client"
           just upload-release-assets-to-s3 "sn_auditor"
 
+
+      - name: publish and release
+        shell: bash
+        if: github.event_name != 'workflow_dispatch'
+        run: |
           # The `release-plz` command publishes crates which had their versions bumped, and also
           # creates Github releases. The binaries are then attached to the releases in the
           # `upload-github-release-assets` target.
@@ -187,8 +200,15 @@ jobs:
           release-plz release --git-token ${{ secrets.VERSION_BUMP_COMMIT_PAT }} | \
             awk '{ if (!/^\s*in release with input/ && !/^\s{4}/) print }'
 
-          just upload-github-release-assets
+      - name: create github release assets
+        shell: bash
+        run:  just upload-github-release-assets
+
 
+      - name: upload as latest release
+        shell: bash
+        if: github.event_name != 'workflow_dispatch'
+        run: |
           # Now upload the 'latest' versions to S3. This can be done later because the node manager
           # does not depend on these existing.
           just package-release-assets "faucet" "latest"