diff --git a/cmd/main.go b/cmd/main.go
index f9bb4df..dc517f3 100644
--- a/cmd/main.go
+++ b/cmd/main.go
@@ -387,6 +387,13 @@ func run(o options) error {
 		return nil
 	}
 
+	// --- release.env (GitLab CI dotenv artifact) ---
+	releaseEnvPath := filepath.Join(absRepo, "release.env")
+	if err := os.WriteFile(releaseEnvPath, []byte("NEXT_VERSION="+nextTag+"\n"), 0644); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("write release.env: %w", err)
+	}
+	logDone("release.env: NEXT_VERSION=%s", nextTag)
+
 	// --- pom.xml + CHANGELOG.md (skipped with --tag-only) ---
 	if !o.tagOnly {
 		var filesToCommit []string
diff --git a/cmd/main_test.go b/cmd/main_test.go
index 5378684..e926260 100644
--- a/cmd/main_test.go
+++ b/cmd/main_test.go
@@ -658,6 +658,47 @@ func TestRunChangelogFile(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestRunReleaseEnv(t *testing.T) {
+	_, dir := setupRepo(t)
+	addFile(t, dir, "x.go", "// fix")
+	repo, _ := gogit.PlainOpen(dir)
+	w, _ := repo.Worktree()
+	w.Add("x.go")
+	w.Commit("fix: something", &gogit.CommitOptions{Author: testSig()})
+
+	err := execCmd(t, "--no-push", "--branch", "release/1.2", "--repo", dir)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	data, err := os.ReadFile(filepath.Join(dir, "release.env"))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal("expected release.env to be created")
+	}
+	content := strings.TrimSpace(string(data))
+	if content != "NEXT_VERSION=1.2.0" {
+		t.Errorf("release.env content = %q, want %q", content, "NEXT_VERSION=1.2.0")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestRunReleaseEnvDryRun(t *testing.T) {
+	_, dir := setupRepo(t)
+	addFile(t, dir, "x.go", "// fix")
+	repo, _ := gogit.PlainOpen(dir)
+	w, _ := repo.Worktree()
+	w.Add("x.go")
+	w.Commit("fix: something", &gogit.CommitOptions{Author: testSig()})
+
+	err := execCmd(t, "--dry-run", "--branch", "release/1.2", "--repo", dir)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	if _, err := os.Stat(filepath.Join(dir, "release.env")); err == nil {
+		t.Error("release.env must not be created in --dry-run mode")
+	}
+}
+
 func TestRunVerbose(t *testing.T) {
 	_, dir := setupRepo(t)
 	addFile(t, dir, "x.go", "// feat")