diff --git a/.github/scripts/test-release.sh b/.github/scripts/test-release.sh
index 3d7c4f1..b371826 100644
--- a/.github/scripts/test-release.sh
+++ b/.github/scripts/test-release.sh
@@ -53,12 +53,18 @@ case "$*" in
   api\ */commits/*\ --jq\ .sha) cat "$STATE/commit" ;;
   api\ --paginate\ --slurp\ */releases\?per_page=100)
     [[ ! -f "$STATE/api-error" ]] || exit 1
+    if [[ -f "$STATE/stale-list" && -f "$STATE/created" ]]; then
+      echo '[[{"id":8,"tag_name":"v0.0.0","draft":false}]]'
+      exit 0
+    fi
     jq -s '[[{id: 8, tag_name: "v0.0.0", draft: false}], .]' "$STATE/release" ;;
   api\ --paginate\ --slurp\ */assets\?per_page=100)
     jq -s '[[], .]' "$STATE/assets" ;;
-  "release create $RELEASE_TAG --repo $GH_REPO --verify-tag --draft --generate-notes --title $RELEASE_TAG")
+  "api --method POST repos/$GH_REPO/releases -f tag_name=$RELEASE_TAG -f target_commitish=$RELEASE_COMMIT -f name=$RELEASE_TAG -F draft=true -F prerelease=false -F generate_release_notes=true")
     echo create >> "$STATE/writes"
-    echo '{"id":7,"tag_name":"v1.2.3","draft":true,"prerelease":false}' > "$STATE/release" ;;
+    echo '{"id":7,"tag_name":"v1.2.3","draft":true,"prerelease":false}' > "$STATE/release"
+    touch "$STATE/created"
+    cat "$STATE/release" ;;
   "release upload $RELEASE_TAG --repo $GH_REPO --clobber "*)
     jq -e .draft "$STATE/release" > /dev/null
     echo upload >> "$STATE/writes"
@@ -97,6 +103,7 @@ reject bash "$ROOT/release.sh" --authorize
 rm "$STATE/permission-error"
 
 reset_github() {
+  rm -f "$STATE/created"
   : > "$STATE/release"
   : > "$STATE/assets"
   : > "$STATE/writes"
@@ -233,6 +240,12 @@ for failure in missing extra digest; do
   test "$(cat "$STATE/writes")" = $'create\nupload\nedit'
 done
 
+reset_github
+# Creation must succeed even while the releases list omits the new draft.
+touch "$STATE/stale-list"
+release --publish
+test "$(cat "$STATE/writes")" = $'create\nupload\nedit'
+rm "$STATE/stale-list"
 reset_github
 touch "$STATE/interrupt"
 reject release --publish
diff --git a/release.sh b/release.sh
index 4a7a2ab..2c9b716 100755
--- a/release.sh
+++ b/release.sh
@@ -113,10 +113,16 @@ find_release() {
 verify_tag
 release=$(find_release)
 if [[ "$release" == null ]]; then
-  gh release create "$tag" --repo "$repo" --verify-tag --draft --generate-notes --title "$tag"
-  release=$(find_release)
+  # The releases list can lag behind creation. Keep the response so a new draft
+  # does not need to appear in that list before we can upload its assets.
+  release=$(gh api --method POST "repos/$repo/releases" \
+    -f tag_name="$tag" -f target_commitish="$commit" -f name="$tag" \
+    -F draft=true -F prerelease=false -F generate_release_notes=true)
 fi
-id=$(jq -er .id <<< "$release")
+id=$(jq -er .id <<< "$release") || {
+  echo "Release $tag has no release ID; refusing to publish." >&2
+  exit 1
+}
 if jq -e .draft <<< "$release" > /dev/null; then
   gh release upload "$tag" --repo "$repo" --clobber "${assets[@]/#/dist/}"
 elif ! jq -e '.prerelease == false' <<< "$release" > /dev/null; then