diff --git a/doc/release.md b/doc/release.md
index f3f19dcec9..2c6938d847 100644
--- a/doc/release.md
+++ b/doc/release.md
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ conda version with `conda --version` and update with `conda update conda`.
 Create the basic build environment:
 
 ```
-mamba create -y -n sourmash-rc python=3.10 pip \
+mamba create -y -n sourmash-rc python=3.12 pip \
     cxx-compiler make twine tox tox-conda rust
 ```