diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 7caf753a7db619566487707afc686adb6cad1148..dcf09fd919e61ed5f0b91d5333f29d986e34d4d5 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ latest:
 	$(MAKE) publish-version VERSION=latest
 
 release:
-	version:=$(shell cat VERSION)
+	$(eval version:=$(shell cat VERSION))
 	$(MAKE) publish-version VERSION=$(version)
 	git tag $(version)