diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yml b/.github/workflows/build.yml
index a5e732b094..aa6b93b367 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yml
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Checkout Repository
         uses: actions/checkout@08c6903cd8c0fde910a37f88322edcfb5dd907a8 # v5.0.0
         with:
-          ref: ${{ (inputs.tag != '' && !inputs.dry_run ) && format('refs/tags/v{0}', inputs.tag) || github.ref }}
+          ref: ${{ (inputs.tag != '' && !inputs.dry_run ) && format('refs/tags/{0}', inputs.tag) || github.ref }}
 
       - name: Download Artifacts
         uses: actions/download-artifact@634f93cb2916e3fdff6788551b99b062d0335ce0 # v5.0.0
@@ -125,12 +125,11 @@ jobs:
           flavor: |
             latest=${{ (inputs.tag != '' && 'true') || 'auto' }}
           tags: |
-            type=semver,pattern={{version}},suffix=${{ inputs.build-os != '' && format('-{0}', inputs.build-os) || '' }}
+            type=semver,pattern={{version}},value=${{ inputs.tag }},enable=${{ inputs.tag != '' }},suffix=${{ inputs.build-os != '' && format('-{0}', inputs.build-os) || '' }}
             type=edge,suffix=${{ inputs.build-os != '' && format('-{0}', inputs.build-os) || '' }}
             type=schedule,suffix=${{ inputs.build-os != '' && format('-{0}', inputs.build-os) || '' }}
             type=ref,event=pr,suffix=${{ inputs.build-os != '' && format('-{0}', inputs.build-os) || '' }}
             type=ref,event=branch,suffix=-rc${{ inputs.build-os != '' && format('-{0}', inputs.build-os) || '' }},enable=${{ startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/heads/release') && inputs.tag == '' }}
-            type=raw,value=${{ inputs.tag }},enable=${{ inputs.tag != '' }},suffix=${{ inputs.build-os != '' && format('-{0}', inputs.build-os) || '' }}
           labels: |
             org.opencontainers.image.documentation=https://docs.nginx.com/nginx-gateway-fabric
             org.opencontainers.image.vendor=NGINX Inc <kubernetes@nginx.com>
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 2c3b9a2932..698818bc88 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -464,6 +464,7 @@ jobs:
     with:
       image: ${{ matrix.image }}
       k8s-version: ${{ matrix.k8s-version }}
+      tag: ${{ inputs.release_version || '' }}
     secrets: inherit
     if: ${{ needs.vars.outputs.helm_changes == 'true' || github.event_name == 'schedule' }}
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/helm.yml b/.github/workflows/helm.yml
index 420b321cc4..857207d4f7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/helm.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/helm.yml
@@ -9,6 +9,10 @@ on:
       k8s-version:
         required: true
         type: string
+      tag:
+        required: false
+        type: string
+        default: ''
 
 permissions:
   contents: read
@@ -40,10 +44,11 @@ jobs:
           images: |
             name=ghcr.io/nginx/nginx-gateway-fabric
           tags: |
-            type=semver,pattern={{version}}
+            type=semver,pattern={{version}},value=${{ inputs.tag }},enable=${{ inputs.tag != '' }}
             type=edge
             type=schedule
             type=ref,event=pr
+            type=ref,event=branch,suffix=-rc,enable=${{ startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/heads/release') && inputs.tag == '' }}
 
       - name: NGINX Docker meta
         id: nginx-meta
@@ -52,10 +57,11 @@ jobs:
           images: |
             name=ghcr.io/nginx/nginx-gateway-fabric/${{ inputs.image == 'plus' && 'nginx-plus' || inputs.image }}
           tags: |
-            type=semver,pattern={{version}}
+            type=semver,pattern={{version}},value=${{ inputs.tag }},enable=${{ inputs.tag != '' }}
             type=edge
             type=schedule
             type=ref,event=pr
+            type=ref,event=branch,suffix=-rc,enable=${{ startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/heads/release') && inputs.tag == '' }}
 
       - name: Build NGF Docker Image
         uses: docker/build-push-action@263435318d21b8e681c14492fe198d362a7d2c83 # v6.18.0