diff --git a/.github/workflows/release_6.1.yml b/.github/workflows/release_6.1.yml
index 511555e..de12fe9 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release_6.1.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release_6.1.yml
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ jobs:
         with:
           ignore_install_scripts: true
 
-      - run: npm publish --provenance
+      - run: npm publish --provenance --tag alpha
         if: ${{ needs.release_please.outputs.release_created }}
         env:
           NODE_AUTH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.NPM_TOKEN }}
diff --git a/release-please-config.json b/release-please-config.json
index 7c6667d..527f3e3 100644
--- a/release-please-config.json
+++ b/release-please-config.json
@@ -7,8 +7,11 @@
       "release-type": "node",
       "bump-minor-pre-major": false,
       "bump-patch-for-minor-pre-major": false,
-      "draft": false
+      "draft": false,
+      "prerelease-type": "alpha",
+      "prerelease": true,
+      "versioning": "prerelease"
     }
   },
   "$schema": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/googleapis/release-please/main/schemas/config.json"
-}
+}
\ No newline at end of file