diff --git a/.github/workflows/publish-evm.yml b/.github/workflows/publish-evm.yml
index 6052fb89c..414b35945 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/publish-evm.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/publish-evm.yml
@@ -132,9 +132,6 @@ jobs:
               run: ls -R ./npm
               shell: bash
 
-            - name: Prepare release
-              run: pnpm run release:prepare && pnpm install --lockfile-only
-
             - name: Publish native to NPM
               run: pnpm run release:native -- --publish-branch=evm --tag=evm --no-git-checks
               env:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/publish-rc.yml b/.github/workflows/publish-rc.yml
index bbc803fc8..c61059f81 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/publish-rc.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/publish-rc.yml
@@ -132,9 +132,6 @@ jobs:
               run: ls -R ./npm
               shell: bash
 
-            - name: Prepare release
-              run: pnpm run release:prepare && pnpm install --lockfile-only
-
             - name: Publish native to NPM
               run: pnpm run release:native -- --publish-branch=develop --tag=rc --no-git-checks
               env:
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index fad6c900f..1637e6b6d 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -37,7 +37,6 @@
 		"references": "node ./scripts/references/update-references.js",
 		"release": "lerna run release --concurrency=1",
 		"release:native": "bash ./scripts/publish-evm-native.sh",
-		"release:prepare": "lerna run release:prepare --scope=@mainsail/evm",
 		"setup": "pnpm install && pnpm run build",
 		"sort": "sort-package-json \"package.json\" \"packages/*/package.json\"",
 		"sort:dry": "sort-package-json --check \"package.json\" \"packages/*/package.json\"",
@@ -45,7 +44,7 @@
 		"test:unit": "lerna run test --parallel --no-bail",
 		"test:unit:coverage": "lerna run test:coverage --parallel",
 		"test:unit:merge": "bash scripts/development/create-lcov-report.sh",
-		"version": "lerna version --no-git-tag-version --yes",
+		"version:update": "bash ./scripts/version.sh",
 		"workflows:unit": "node scripts/generate-unit-workflow.js"
 	},
 	"devDependencies": {
diff --git a/packages/evm/package.json b/packages/evm/package.json
index bd99e1d9b..fc824fe43 100644
--- a/packages/evm/package.json
+++ b/packages/evm/package.json
@@ -22,6 +22,10 @@
 	"devDependencies": {
 		"@napi-rs/cli": "3.6.2"
 	},
+	"optionalDependencies": {
+		"@mainsail/evm-linux-arm64-gnu": "0.0.1-rc.9",
+		"@mainsail/evm-linux-x64-gnu": "0.0.1-rc.9"
+	},
 	"engines": {
 		"node": ">=24"
 	},
diff --git a/pnpm-lock.yaml b/pnpm-lock.yaml
index 6db4aafe9..7f3c227aa 100644
--- a/pnpm-lock.yaml
+++ b/pnpm-lock.yaml
@@ -2044,6 +2044,13 @@ importers:
       '@napi-rs/cli':
         specifier: 3.6.2
         version: 3.6.2(@emnapi/core@1.4.5)(@emnapi/runtime@1.4.5)(@types/node@25.7.0)(node-addon-api@8.5.0)
+    optionalDependencies:
+      '@mainsail/evm-linux-arm64-gnu':
+        specifier: 0.0.1-rc.9
+        version: 0.0.1-rc.9
+      '@mainsail/evm-linux-x64-gnu':
+        specifier: 0.0.1-rc.9
+        version: 0.0.1-rc.9
 
   packages/evm-api-worker:
     dependencies:
@@ -4843,6 +4850,20 @@ packages:
     cpu: [x64]
     os: [win32]
 
+  '@mainsail/evm-linux-arm64-gnu@0.0.1-rc.9':
+    resolution: {integrity: sha512-wvw2dTP/UBSw2LXgr2+A61fH12bfrMYp/6Ocse5UP6gODHDPh9clyJ5pHIpEkMNXiOeXXfXi7BvlH/M1VhqgQA==}
+    engines: {node: '>= 10'}
+    cpu: [arm64]
+    os: [linux]
+    libc: [glibc]
+
+  '@mainsail/evm-linux-x64-gnu@0.0.1-rc.9':
+    resolution: {integrity: sha512-dUD5zCcXMcXa/aBoD/avVOH3qryg4SFRxKLALDigg04qn1LCe9dvpIC59ba5Ok7phQp63CMdfcPctqAfNh8sPw==}
+    engines: {node: '>= 10'}
+    cpu: [x64]
+    os: [linux]
+    libc: [glibc]
+
   '@msgpackr-extract/msgpackr-extract-darwin-arm64@3.0.3':
     resolution: {integrity: sha512-QZHtlVgbAdy2zAqNA9Gu1UpIuI8Xvsd1v8ic6B2pZmeFnFcMWiPLfWXh7TVw4eGEZ/C9TH281KwhVoeQUKbyjw==}
     cpu: [arm64]
@@ -11972,6 +11993,12 @@ snapshots:
   '@lmdb/lmdb-win32-x64@3.5.4':
     optional: true
 
+  '@mainsail/evm-linux-arm64-gnu@0.0.1-rc.9':
+    optional: true
+
+  '@mainsail/evm-linux-x64-gnu@0.0.1-rc.9':
+    optional: true
+
   '@msgpackr-extract/msgpackr-extract-darwin-arm64@3.0.3':
     optional: true
 
diff --git a/scripts/version.sh b/scripts/version.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..bde85ea36
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/version.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+set -e
+
+# Run the TypeScript version bump, forwarding any arguments (e.g. major/minor/patch).
+npx lerna version --no-git-tag-version --yes "$@"
+
+# Prepare the EVM native package release.
+npx lerna run release:prepare --scope=@mainsail/evm