diff --git a/.github/workflows/pr-create.yml b/.github/workflows/pr-create.yml
index 4064975..5362186 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pr-create.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pr-create.yml
@@ -1,12 +1,10 @@
 name: Open / Update Version Bump PR
 
-# Triggered by any push to main where src/, debian/ files changed.
-# This happens when a feature PR is merged to main.
-# Creates a dedicated chore/version-bump branch and opens a PR from it.
-# When creating a new PR it assigns the default "bump:patch" label.
-# When updating an existing PR the label is NOT changed, preserving any
-# manual label change (e.g. bump:minor, bump:major) made by a reviewer.
-# The bot guard prevents this from firing on changelog commits.
+# Triggered when any PR merges to main touching src/ or debian/.
+# Accumulates changes on chore/version-bump branch by appending to CHANGES.md.
+# Opens the bump PR if it doesn't exist, updates body if it does.
+# Label is never changed on update — preserving manual bump:minor / bump:major.
+# Bot guard prevents firing on the changelog commit from version-bump.yml.
 
 on:
   push:
@@ -15,7 +13,7 @@ on:
     paths:
       - 'src/**'
       - 'debian/**'
-      
+
 permissions:
   contents: write
   pull-requests: write
@@ -31,7 +29,7 @@ jobs:
           fetch-depth: 0
           token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
 
-      - name: Collect src/ commits from merge
+      - name: Collect src/ commits from this merge
         id: commits
         run: |
           LOG=$(git log "HEAD~1..HEAD" --oneline -- src/ | head -50)
@@ -40,29 +38,53 @@ jobs:
           echo "$LOG"      >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
           echo "$EOF"      >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
 
-      - name: Create or reset version bump branch
+      - name: Update chore/version-bump branch
+        env:
+          COMMITS: ${{ steps.commits.outputs.log }}
         run: |
-          git checkout -B chore/version-bump
-          git push origin chore/version-bump --force
+          git config user.name  "github-actions[bot]"
+          git config user.email "41898282+github-actions[bot]@users.noreply.github.com"
+
+          # Checkout existing bump branch or create it from main
+          git fetch origin chore/version-bump 2>/dev/null && \
+            git checkout chore/version-bump || \
+            git checkout -b chore/version-bump
+
+          # Append this merge's changes to the top of CHANGES.md
+          mkdir -p .github/version-bump
+          PREV=$(cat .github/version-bump/CHANGES.md 2>/dev/null || true)
+          {
+            echo "### Merged at $(date -R)"
+            echo "${COMMITS:-No src/ changes detected.}"
+            echo ""
+            echo "$PREV"
+          } > .github/version-bump/CHANGES.md
+
+          git add .github/version-bump/CHANGES.md
+          git commit -m "chore: accumulate changes from $(git rev-parse --short HEAD~1)"
+          git push origin chore/version-bump
+
+      - name: Build PR body from accumulated changes
+        run: |
+          VERSION=$(grep -m1 '(' debian/changelog | sed 's/.*(\(.*\)).*/\1/')
+          {
+            echo "## Pending changes for next release (current: v${VERSION})"
+            echo ""
+            cat .github/version-bump/CHANGES.md
+            echo ""
+            echo "---"
+            echo "*Change label to \`bump:minor\` or \`bump:major\` before merging if needed.*"
+            echo "*Default is \`bump:patch\`.*"
+            echo "*Merge this PR when ready to release.*"
+          } > /tmp/pr-body.md
 
       - name: Create or update version bump PR
         env:
           GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
-          COMMITS:  ${{ steps.commits.outputs.log }}
         run: |
           BUMP_BRANCH="chore/version-bump"
           VERSION=$(grep -m1 '(' debian/changelog | sed 's/.*(\(.*\)).*/\1/')
-          TITLE="chore: bump pve-mod to v${VERSION}"
-
-          {
-            echo "## Changes merged to main"
-            echo ""
-            echo "${COMMITS:-No src/ changes detected.}"
-            echo ""
-            echo "---"
-            echo "*Apply a bump:minor or bump:major label before merging if needed.*"
-            echo "*Default label is bump:patch.*"
-          } > /tmp/pr-body.md
+          TITLE="chore: release next version (current: v${VERSION})"
 
           EXISTING=$(gh pr list \
             --head "$BUMP_BRANCH" \
@@ -73,7 +95,7 @@ jobs:
             gh pr edit "$EXISTING" \
               --title "$TITLE" \
               --body-file /tmp/pr-body.md
-            echo "Updated PR #${EXISTING} body and title (label unchanged)"
+            echo "Updated PR #${EXISTING} (label unchanged)"
           else
             gh pr create \
               --title "$TITLE" \
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 4bcaacd..4c00aad 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ name: Build and Release
 
 # Triggered when debian/changelog changes on main — meaning version-bump.yml
 # just committed a new version. Builds the .deb and publishes a GitHub Release.
-# The actor guard ensures this only fires for the bot's commit, not manual edits.
+# The actor guard ensures this only fires for the bot's changelog commit.
 
 on:
   push:
@@ -50,25 +50,15 @@ jobs:
           dpkg-buildpackage -us -uc -b
           ls -lh ../pve-mod_*.deb
 
-      - name: Collect release assets
-        id: assets
-        run: |
-          DEB=$(ls ../pve-mods_${{ steps.version.outputs.version }}.deb)
-          echo "deb=$DEB" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
-
       - name: Extract release notes from changelog
         id: notes
         run: |
-          # Pull the top changelog entry (lines between first and second "^pve-mod (")
-          NOTES=$(awk '
+          awk '
             /^pve-mod \(/ { if (found) exit; found=1; next }
             found && /^ --/ { exit }
             found { print }
-          ' debian/changelog | grep '^\s*\*' | sed 's/^\s*\* /- /')
-          EOF=$(dd if=/dev/urandom bs=15 count=1 2>/dev/null | base64)
-          echo "notes<<$EOF"  >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
-          echo "$NOTES"       >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
-          echo "$EOF"         >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+          ' debian/changelog | grep '^\s*\*' | sed 's/^\s*\* /- /' > /tmp/notes.md
+          [[ -s /tmp/notes.md ]] || echo "- Automated release." > /tmp/notes.md
 
       - name: Create Git tag
         env:
@@ -79,15 +69,22 @@ jobs:
           git tag "$TAG"
           git push origin "$TAG"
 
+      - name: Collect release assets
+        id: assets
+        run: |
+          DEB=$(ls ../pve-mod_*.deb)
+          echo "deb=$DEB" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+
       - name: Create GitHub Release
         env:
           GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
-          TAG: ${{ steps.version.outputs.tag }}
-          NOTES: ${{ steps.notes.outputs.notes }}
-          DEB: ${{ steps.assets.outputs.deb }}
+          TAG:      ${{ steps.version.outputs.tag }}
+          DEB:      ${{ steps.assets.outputs.deb }}
         run: |
+          ASSETS="$DEB"
+          [[ -f install.sh ]] && ASSETS="$ASSETS install.sh"
+
           gh release create "$TAG" \
             --title "pve-mod $TAG" \
-            --notes "$NOTES" \
-            "$DEB" \
-            "install.sh"
+            --notes-file /tmp/notes.md \
+            $ASSETS
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.github/workflows/version-bump.yml b/.github/workflows/version-bump.yml
index e0a38b1..9fde4d3 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/version-bump.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/version-bump.yml
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 name: Version Bump
 
 # Triggered when the chore/version-bump PR is merged to main.
-# Reads the bump:patch / bump:minor / bump:major label to determine
-# the version increment, updates debian/changelog, and commits it.
-# release.yml then picks up the changelog change and builds the release.
+# Reads the bump:patch / bump:minor / bump:major label from the merged PR.
+# Updates debian/changelog and commits to main.
+# Cleans up the CHANGES.md accumulator file in the same commit.
+# release.yml picks up the changelog change and builds the release.
 
 on:
   pull_request:
@@ -31,7 +32,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Determine bump type from PR label
         id: bump_type
         env:
-          GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+          GH_TOKEN:  ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
           PR_NUMBER: ${{ github.event.pull_request.number }}
         run: |
           LABELS=$(gh pr view "$PR_NUMBER" --json labels --jq '[.labels[].name] | join(",")')
@@ -67,15 +68,11 @@ jobs:
           echo "current=$CURRENT" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
           echo "new=$NEW"         >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
 
-      - name: Collect src/ commits since last tag
+      - name: Collect accumulated changes
         id: commits
         run: |
-          LAST_TAG=$(git tag -l 'v*' | sort -V | tail -n1)
-          if [[ -n "$LAST_TAG" ]]; then
-            LOG=$(git log "${LAST_TAG}..HEAD" --oneline -- src/ | head -50)
-          else
-            LOG=$(git log --oneline -- src/ | head -50)
-          fi
+          # Read from the CHANGES.md that was merged in
+          LOG=$(cat .github/version-bump/CHANGES.md 2>/dev/null || true)
           EOF=$(openssl rand -hex 16)
           echo "log<<$EOF" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
           echo "$LOG"      >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
@@ -84,7 +81,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Prepend new changelog entry
         env:
           NEW_VERSION: ${{ steps.version.outputs.new }}
-          COMMITS: ${{ steps.commits.outputs.log }}
+          COMMITS:     ${{ steps.commits.outputs.log }}
         run: |
           DATE=$(date -R)
           {
@@ -101,12 +98,13 @@ jobs:
           } > debian/changelog.new
           mv debian/changelog.new debian/changelog
 
-      - name: Commit and push changelog
+      - name: Commit changelog and clean up accumulator
         env:
           NEW_VERSION: ${{ steps.version.outputs.new }}
         run: |
           git config user.name  "github-actions[bot]"
           git config user.email "41898282+github-actions[bot]@users.noreply.github.com"
           git add debian/changelog
+          git rm --ignore-unmatch .github/version-bump/CHANGES.md
           git commit -m "Release v${NEW_VERSION}"
           git push
\ No newline at end of file