diff --git a/.github/workflows/release_create_rc.yaml b/.github/workflows/release_create_rc.yaml
index eaf6250b85..2c48dd8476 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release_create_rc.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release_create_rc.yaml
@@ -41,11 +41,12 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Attempt RC Tagging
         id: tagger
-        run: |
-          bazel run //tools/private/release -- \
-            create-rc --issue ${{ inputs.issue }} --remote origin
         env:
           GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+          ISSUE: ${{ inputs.issue }}
+        run: |
+          bazel run //tools/private/release -- \
+            create-rc --issue "$ISSUE" --remote origin
 
   call_release:
     needs: tag_rc
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release_prepare.yaml b/.github/workflows/release_prepare.yaml
index 8ca38cb1c2..c83a7b74f9 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release_prepare.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release_prepare.yaml
@@ -39,8 +39,13 @@ jobs:
           git config --global user.email "41898282+github-actions[bot]@users.noreply.github.com"
 
       - name: Run Release Preparation Pipeline
-        run: |
-          bazel run //tools/private/release -- \
-            prepare ${{ inputs.issue && format('--issue={0}', inputs.issue) || '' }} --no-dry-run
         env:
           GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+          ISSUE: ${{ inputs.issue }}
+        run: |
+          ARGS=()
+          if [ -n "$ISSUE" ]; then
+            ARGS+=("--issue=$ISSUE")
+          fi
+          bazel run //tools/private/release -- \
+            prepare "${ARGS[@]}" --no-dry-run
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release_process_backports.yaml b/.github/workflows/release_process_backports.yaml
index 394a5b0fe9..ca719778df 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release_process_backports.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release_process_backports.yaml
@@ -55,19 +55,22 @@ jobs:
           git config --global user.email "41898282+github-actions[bot]@users.noreply.github.com"
 
       - name: Process Pending Backports
+        env:
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+          ADD_BACKPORTS: ${{ inputs.add_backports }}
+          COMMENT_ID: ${{ inputs.comment_id }}
+          ISSUE: ${{ inputs.issue }}
         run: |
           ARGS=()
-          if [ -n "${{ inputs.add_backports }}" ]; then
-            ARGS+=("--add=${{ inputs.add_backports }}")
+          if [ -n "$ADD_BACKPORTS" ]; then
+            ARGS+=("--add=$ADD_BACKPORTS")
           fi
-          if [ -n "${{ inputs.comment_id }}" ]; then
-            ARGS+=("--triggering-comment=${{ inputs.comment_id }}")
+          if [ -n "$COMMENT_ID" ]; then
+            ARGS+=("--triggering-comment=$COMMENT_ID")
           fi
           
           bazel run //tools/private/release -- process-backports \
-            --issue ${{ inputs.issue }} \
+            --issue "$ISSUE" \
             --remote origin \
             --no-dry-run \
             "${ARGS[@]}"
-        env:
-          GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release_promote_rc.yaml b/.github/workflows/release_promote_rc.yaml
index 987583a1fd..7dc1c118b2 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release_promote_rc.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release_promote_rc.yaml
@@ -42,17 +42,19 @@ jobs:
           git config --global user.email "41898282+github-actions[bot]@users.noreply.github.com"
 
       - name: Run Promote RC
+        env:
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+          VERSION: ${{ inputs.version }}
+          ISSUE: ${{ inputs.issue }}
         run: |
           ARGS=()
-          if [ -n "${{ inputs.version }}" ]; then
-            ARGS+=("${{ inputs.version }}")
+          if [ -n "$VERSION" ]; then
+            ARGS+=("$VERSION")
           fi
-          if [ -n "${{ inputs.issue }}" ]; then
-            ARGS+=("--issue" "${{ inputs.issue }}")
+          if [ -n "$ISSUE" ]; then
+            ARGS+=("--issue" "$ISSUE")
           fi
           ARGS+=("--remote" "origin")
           ARGS+=("--no-dry-run")
           
           bazel run //tools/private/release -- promote-rc "${ARGS[@]}"
-        env:
-          GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}