diff --git a/docs/release_guide.pod b/docs/release_guide.pod
index 71923dc7a26..e6843b1fd9b 100644
--- a/docs/release_guide.pod
+++ b/docs/release_guide.pod
@@ -217,8 +217,11 @@ judgment or ask others if uncertain what to do here.
 
 B<Note>: these steps overlap with the steps in NQP's release guide.
 
-Go to the NQP repository, tag it and push the tags
+Go to the NQP repository, bump C<VERSION>, tag it and push the tags
 
+  $ echo YYYY.MM > VERSION
+  $ git commit -m 'bump VERSION' VERSION
+  $ git push origin master
   $ git tag -a -m"tag release YYYY.MM" YYYY.MM    # e.g., 2010.02
 
 Check the NQP revision