diff --git a/.github/actions/make_release/entrypoint.sh b/.github/actions/make_release/entrypoint.sh
index 957d8b367c0..09a02b6c738 100755
--- a/.github/actions/make_release/entrypoint.sh
+++ b/.github/actions/make_release/entrypoint.sh
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 #!/bin/bash -l
 
+set -e
+
 # Only need to do any of this if the version has been updated
 # NOTE: The diff-index with HEAD^ implies that the TAG
 #       must be updated in the last commit.  But version update
diff --git a/.github/workflows/create_release.yml b/.github/workflows/create_release.yml
index 6e174f0b74a..058686eb21a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/create_release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/create_release.yml
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ jobs:
     name: Create Release
     if: github.repository == 'daos-stack/daos'
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    permissions:
+      contents: write
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with: