diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index b6945751f..c9d23eaa1 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/).
   `/sys/firmware/devicetree/base/serial-number`
 - Replace slice in templates with sprig substr. #1093
 
-## v4.5.3, unreleased
+## v4.5.3, 2024-06-07
 
 ### Added
 
@@ -60,7 +60,6 @@ The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/).
 - Fix the issue that warewulf.conf parse does not support CIDR format. #1130
 - Reduce the number of times syncuser walks the container file system. #1209
 - Create ssh key also when calling `wwctl configure --all` #1250
-- Remove the temporary overlay dir. #1180
 - Remove the temporary overlayfs dir and create them besides rootfs #1180
 
 ### Security
diff --git a/RELEASE.md b/RELEASE.md
index c28ce7340..5fc2e04d1 100644
--- a/RELEASE.md
+++ b/RELEASE.md
@@ -1,19 +1,28 @@
 # Release procedure
 
-1. Create a tag for the release of the format v4.MINOR.PATCH,
-   following the format specified in <MAINTAINING.md>.
-2. Verify that the associated release action has concluded.
-3. Verify that the expected artifacts were built and successfully
-   attached to the matching release. This includes the source tarball
-   and RPMs for Suse and Rocky Linux.
-4. Update the release notes for the release, expanding on the relevant
-   contents from <CHANGELOG.md>.
+Major versions (e.g., v4.5.0) are tagged directly on the main
+branch. Minor versions (e.g., v4.5.3) are tagged on a separate release
+branch.
+
+1. Update `CHANGELOG.md` to identify the release date. (Change
+   "unreleased" to a date with `%Y-%m-%d` format, following existing
+   convention in the log.) Cherry-pick this to a release branch if
+   necessary.
+2. Create a signed tag for the release of the format v4.MINOR.PATCH,
+   following the format specified in <MAINTAINING.md>. (e.g., `git tag
+   --sign v4.5.3; git push origin v4.5.3`)
+3. Monitor the release action associated with the pushed tag at
+   https://github.com/warewulf/warewulf/actions, and verify the
+   generated draft release contains the expected artifacts. This
+   includes the source tarball and RPMs for Suse and Rocky Linux.
+4. Update the release notes for the release, summarizing and expanding
+   on the relevant contents from <CHANGELOG.md>.
 5. Confirm the correct values for the pre-release and latest release
    flags.
 6. Publish the release.
-7. Announce the release as a [post][1] to warewulf.org/news, linking
+8. Announce the release as a [post][1] to warewulf.org/news, linking
    to the GitHub release.
-8. Announce the release on the Warewulf Slack, linking to the
+9. Announce the release on the Warewulf Slack, linking to the
    warewulf.org/news post.
 
 [1]: https://github.com/warewulf/warewulf.org/tree/main/src/posts