diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index ae336b6..ff352e1 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -27,15 +27,27 @@ jobs:
     secrets:
       gh_token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
 
-  create-tag:
+  calculate-tag:
     needs: determine-version
-    uses: ./.github/workflows/workflow-create-tag.yml
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/workflow-compute-next-tag.yml
     with:
       target-branch: main
       version-bump: ${{ needs.determine-version.outputs.version-bump }}
     secrets:
       gh_token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
 
+  create-tag:
+    needs:
+      - determine-version
+      - calculate-tag
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/workflow-create-tag.yml
+    with:
+      target-branch: main
+      next-tag: ${{ needs.calculate-tag.outputs.new-tag }}
+      previous-tag: ${{ needs.calculate-tag.outputs.previous-tag }}
+    secrets:
+      gh_token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+
   create-release:
     needs:
       - determine-version
diff --git a/.github/workflows/workflow-compute-next-tag.yml b/.github/workflows/workflow-compute-next-tag.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..435bf1a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/workflow-compute-next-tag.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,95 @@
+name: Compute Next Tag
+
+on:
+  workflow_call:
+    inputs:
+      target-branch:
+        description: "Branch to fetch before calculating the next tag."
+        required: false
+        default: main
+        type: string
+      version-bump:
+        description: "Which part of the semver should be incremented (major/minor/patch)."
+        required: true
+        type: string
+    secrets:
+      gh_token:
+        description: "Token passed from caller (defaults to the built-in GITHUB_TOKEN)."
+        required: false
+    outputs:
+      new-tag:
+        description: "Next tag derived from the latest v* tag and the selected bump."
+        value: ${{ jobs.calculate.outputs.new-tag }}
+      previous-tag:
+        description: "Latest tag used as the base for the next version."
+        value: ${{ jobs.calculate.outputs.previous-tag }}
+
+permissions:
+  contents: read
+
+jobs:
+  calculate:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    permissions:
+      contents: read
+    outputs:
+      new-tag: ${{ steps.compute.outputs.new_tag }}
+      previous-tag: ${{ steps.compute.outputs.previous_tag }}
+    steps:
+      - name: Check out repository with tags
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          ref: ${{ inputs.target-branch }}
+          fetch-depth: 0
+
+      - name: Compute next tag
+        id: compute
+        env:
+          VERSION_BUMP_INPUT: ${{ inputs.version-bump }}
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+
+          version_bump="${VERSION_BUMP_INPUT,,}"
+          case "$version_bump" in
+            major|minor|patch) ;;
+            *)
+              echo "Unsupported version bump '$version_bump'."
+              exit 1
+              ;;
+          esac
+
+          git fetch --tags
+
+          latest_tag=$(git tag --list 'v*' --sort=-v:refname | head -n1)
+          if [ -z "$latest_tag" ]; then
+            latest_tag="v0.0.0"
+          fi
+          previous_tag="$latest_tag"
+
+          version="${latest_tag#v}"
+          IFS='.' read -r major minor patch <<<"$version"
+          major=${major:-0}
+          minor=${minor:-0}
+          patch=${patch:-0}
+
+          case "$version_bump" in
+            major)
+              major=$((major + 1))
+              minor=0
+              patch=0
+              ;;
+            minor)
+              minor=$((minor + 1))
+              patch=0
+              ;;
+            patch)
+              patch=$((patch + 1))
+              ;;
+          esac
+
+          new_tag="v${major}.${minor}.${patch}"
+
+          {
+            echo "new_tag=$new_tag"
+            echo "previous_tag=$previous_tag"
+          } >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
diff --git a/.github/workflows/workflow-create-tag.yml b/.github/workflows/workflow-create-tag.yml
index 486b19a..e4af6b9 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/workflow-create-tag.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/workflow-create-tag.yml
@@ -8,8 +8,12 @@ on:
         required: false
         default: main
         type: string
-      version-bump:
-        description: "Which part of the semver should be incremented (major/minor/patch)."
+      next-tag:
+        description: "Explicit tag to create (required)."
+        required: true
+        type: string
+      previous-tag:
+        description: "Previously released tag that the next tag is based on (required)."
         required: true
         type: string
     secrets:
@@ -42,7 +46,8 @@ jobs:
       - name: Create and push tag
         id: create
         env:
-          VERSION_BUMP_INPUT: ${{ inputs.version-bump }}
+          NEXT_TAG_INPUT: ${{ inputs.next-tag }}
+          PREVIOUS_TAG_INPUT: ${{ inputs.previous-tag }}
           TARGET_BRANCH_INPUT: ${{ inputs.target-branch }}
           GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.gh_token != '' && secrets.gh_token || secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
         run: |
@@ -51,48 +56,23 @@ jobs:
           git config user.name "github-actions[bot]"
           git config user.email "github-actions[bot]@users.noreply.github.com"
 
-          version_bump="${VERSION_BUMP_INPUT,,}"
-          case "$version_bump" in
-            major|minor|patch) ;;
-            *)
-              echo "Unsupported version bump '$version_bump'."
-              exit 1
-              ;;
-          esac
-
           git fetch origin "$TARGET_BRANCH_INPUT" --tags
           git checkout "$TARGET_BRANCH_INPUT"
           git pull origin "$TARGET_BRANCH_INPUT"
 
-          latest_tag=$(git tag --list 'v*' --sort=-v:refname | head -n1)
-          if [ -z "$latest_tag" ]; then
-            latest_tag="v0.0.0"
+          next_tag_input="${NEXT_TAG_INPUT:-}"
+          previous_tag_input="${PREVIOUS_TAG_INPUT:-}"
+
+          if [ -z "$next_tag_input" ] || [ -z "$previous_tag_input" ]; then
+            echo "Both next-tag and previous-tag inputs are required."
+            exit 1
           fi
-          previous_tag="$latest_tag"
-          version="${latest_tag#v}"
-          IFS='.' read -r major minor patch <<<"$version"
-          major=${major:-0}
-          minor=${minor:-0}
-          patch=${patch:-0}
 
-          case "$version_bump" in
-            major)
-              major=$((major + 1))
-              minor=0
-              patch=0
-              ;;
-            minor)
-              minor=$((minor + 1))
-              patch=0
-              ;;
-            patch)
-              patch=$((patch + 1))
-              ;;
-          esac
+          new_tag="$next_tag_input"
+          previous_tag="$previous_tag_input"
 
-          new_tag="v${major}.${minor}.${patch}"
           echo "Creating tag $new_tag (previous tag $previous_tag)."
-          git tag -a "$new_tag" -m "Automated $version_bump release"
+          git tag -a "$new_tag" -m "Automated release $new_tag"
           git push origin "$new_tag"
 
           echo "::notice title=Tag created::${new_tag} (from ${previous_tag})"
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b83f5e1..f06ef25 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -65,21 +65,46 @@ jobs:
 ```
 
 ### `workflow-create-tag.yml`
-Creates and pushes the next semver tag based on the provided bump.
+Creates and pushes the provided tag (no version calculation inside this workflow).
 
 **Inputs**
 - `target-branch` (default `main`): branch to check out before tagging.
-- `version-bump` (required): `major`, `minor`, or `patch`.
+- `next-tag` (required): tag to create (e.g., `v1.2.3`).
+- `previous-tag` (required): previous tag that `next-tag` is based on.
 
 **Outputs**
 - `new-tag`: tag that was created (e.g., `v1.2.3`).
-- `previous-tag`: latest existing tag before the bump.
+- `previous-tag`: previous tag that was passed in.
 
 **Example**
 ```yaml
 jobs:
   create-tag:
     uses: vinitu-net/github-workflows/.github/workflows/workflow-create-tag.yml@vX.Y.Z
+    with:
+      target-branch: main
+      next-tag: ${{ needs.calculate-tag.outputs.new-tag }}
+      previous-tag: ${{ needs.calculate-tag.outputs.previous-tag }}
+    secrets:
+      gh_token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+```
+
+### `workflow-compute-next-tag.yml`
+Calculates the next semver tag from the provided bump and latest existing `v*` tag.
+
+**Inputs**
+- `target-branch` (default `main`): branch to check out before reading tags.
+- `version-bump` (required): `major`, `minor`, or `patch`.
+
+**Outputs**
+- `new-tag`: computed next tag (e.g., `v1.2.3`).
+- `previous-tag`: latest existing tag before the bump (or `v0.0.0` if none).
+
+**Example**
+```yaml
+jobs:
+  calculate-tag:
+    uses: vinitu-net/github-workflows/.github/workflows/workflow-compute-next-tag.yml@vX.Y.Z
     with:
       target-branch: main
       version-bump: ${{ needs.determine-version.outputs.version-bump }}
@@ -134,16 +159,27 @@ jobs:
     secrets:
       gh_token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
 
-  create-tag:
+  calculate-tag:
     needs: [determine-version, merge]
     if: ${{ needs.merge.outputs.merged == 'true' }}
-    uses: vinitu-net/github-workflows/.github/workflows/workflow-create-tag.yml@vX.Y.Z
+    uses: vinitu-net/github-workflows/.github/workflows/workflow-compute-next-tag.yml@vX.Y.Z
     with:
       target-branch: main
       version-bump: ${{ needs.determine-version.outputs.version-bump }}
     secrets:
       gh_token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
 
+  create-tag:
+    needs: [determine-version, merge, calculate-tag]
+    if: ${{ needs.merge.outputs.merged == 'true' }}
+    uses: vinitu-net/github-workflows/.github/workflows/workflow-create-tag.yml@vX.Y.Z
+    with:
+      target-branch: main
+      next-tag: ${{ needs.calculate-tag.outputs.new-tag }}
+      previous-tag: ${{ needs.calculate-tag.outputs.previous-tag }}
+    secrets:
+      gh_token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+
   create-release:
     needs: [merge, create-tag]
     if: ${{ needs.merge.outputs.merged == 'true' }}