diff --git a/release/bump_patch_version.py b/release/bump_patch_version.py
index 84cb45a8eac8..20827011d368 100644
--- a/release/bump_patch_version.py
+++ b/release/bump_patch_version.py
@@ -3,12 +3,20 @@
 
 # DeepSpeed Team
 
+import argparse
 from packaging import version as pkg_version
 
-with open('../version.txt') as fd:
-    version = pkg_version.parse(fd.read())
+parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
 
-with open('../version.txt', 'w') as fd:
-    fd.write(f'{version.major}.{version.minor}.{version.micro + 1}\n')
+parser.add_argument("--current_version",
+                    type=str,
+                    help="The current version being published to help set the next version.")
 
-print(f'{version} -> {version.major}.{version.minor}.{version.micro + 1}')
+args = parser.parse_args()
+
+current_version = pkg_version.parse(args.current_version)
+
+with open('./version.txt', 'w') as fd:
+    fd.write(f'{current_version.major}.{current_version.minor}.{current_version.micro + 1}\n')
+
+print(f'{current_version} -> {current_version.major}.{current_version.minor}.{current_version.micro + 1}')
diff --git a/release/release.sh b/release/release.sh
index 1366532e8b06..3e14257374d1 100644
--- a/release/release.sh
+++ b/release/release.sh
@@ -45,5 +45,4 @@ git tag v${version}
 git push origin v${version}
 
 echo "bumping up patch version"
-cd -
-python bump_patch_version.py
+python release/bump_patch_version.py --current_version ${version}