diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 35b56012..8f297451 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 PKG := projects.blender.org/studio/flamenco
 
 # To update the version number in all the relevant places, update the VERSION
-# variable below and run `make update-version`.
+# and RELEASE_CYCLE variables below and run `make update-version`.
 VERSION := 3.8-alpha1
 # "alpha", "beta", or "release".
 RELEASE_CYCLE := alpha
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ update-version:
 	@echo "--- Updating Flamenco version to ${VERSION}"
 	@echo "--- If this stops with exit status 42, it was already at that version."
 	@echo
-	go run ./cmd/update-version ${VERSION}
+	go run ./cmd/update-version ${VERSION} ${RELEASE_CYCLE}
 	$(MAKE) generate-py
 	$(MAKE) generate-js
 	@echo
diff --git a/cmd/update-version/magefiles.go b/cmd/update-version/magefiles.go
index 8171e498..04135fcc 100644
--- a/cmd/update-version/magefiles.go
+++ b/cmd/update-version/magefiles.go
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ func updateMagefiles() bool {
 	// Perform replacements on the AST.
 	replacements := map[string]string{
 		"version":      cliArgs.newVersion,
-		"releaseCycle": releaseCycle,
+		"releaseCycle": cliArgs.releaseCycle,
 	}
 
 	var (
diff --git a/cmd/update-version/main.go b/cmd/update-version/main.go
index 70f9f0fe..014a3441 100644
--- a/cmd/update-version/main.go
+++ b/cmd/update-version/main.go
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ import (
 	"flag"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
-	"strings"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/mattn/go-colorable"
@@ -22,9 +21,8 @@ var (
 
 		newVersion     string
 		updateMakefile bool
+		releaseCycle   string
 	}
-
-	releaseCycle string
 )
 
 func main() {
@@ -35,17 +33,6 @@ func main() {
 
 	log.Info().Str("version", cliArgs.newVersion).Msg("updating Flamenco version")
 
-	switch {
-	case strings.Contains(cliArgs.newVersion, "alpha"), strings.Contains(cliArgs.newVersion, "dev"):
-		releaseCycle = "alpha"
-	case strings.Contains(cliArgs.newVersion, "beta"):
-		releaseCycle = "beta"
-	case strings.Contains(cliArgs.newVersion, "rc"):
-		releaseCycle = "rc"
-	default:
-		releaseCycle = "release"
-	}
-
 	var anyFileWasChanged bool
 	if cliArgs.updateMakefile {
 		anyFileWasChanged = updateMakefile() || anyFileWasChanged
@@ -73,8 +60,10 @@ func parseCliArgs() {
 	flag.Parse()
 
 	cliArgs.newVersion = flag.Arg(0)
-	if cliArgs.newVersion == "" {
-		os.Stderr.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf("Usage: %s [-quiet|-debug|-trace] {new Flamenco version number}\n", os.Args[0]))
+	cliArgs.releaseCycle = flag.Arg(1)
+
+	if cliArgs.newVersion == "" || cliArgs.releaseCycle == "" {
+		os.Stderr.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf("Usage: %s [-quiet|-debug|-trace] {new Flamenco version number} {release cycle}\n", os.Args[0]))
 		os.Stderr.WriteString("\n")
 		flag.PrintDefaults()
 		os.Stderr.WriteString("\n")
diff --git a/magefiles/version.go b/magefiles/version.go
index 0f31e49e..fe6d29b9 100644
--- a/magefiles/version.go
+++ b/magefiles/version.go
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 // To update the version number in all the relevant places, update the VERSION
-// variable below and run `mage update-version`.
+// variable below and run `make update-version`.
 const (
 	version      = "3.8-alpha1"
 	releaseCycle = "alpha"