diff --git a/RELEASE.md b/RELEASE.md
index fa8ed9f15d..b5e28c7bde 100644
--- a/RELEASE.md
+++ b/RELEASE.md
@@ -63,20 +63,25 @@ There are three release channels that map to branches as follows:
 
 ### Changing channels
 
-When cutting a new channel branch these pre-steps are required:
-
+#### Create the new branch
 1. Pick your branch point for release on master.
 1. Create the branch.  The name should be "v" + the first 2 "version" fields
    from Cargo.toml.  For example, a Cargo.toml with version = "0.9.0" implies
    the next branch name is "v0.9".
-1. Push the new branch to the solana repository
-1. Update Cargo.toml on master to the next semantic version (e.g. 0.9.0 -> 0.10.0)
-   by running `./scripts/increment-cargo-version.sh`, then rebuild with a
-   `cargo build --all` to cause a refresh of `Cargo.lock`.
+    1.  Note the Cargo.toml in the repo root directory does not contain a version.  Look at any other Cargo.toml file.
+1. Create a new branch and push this branch to the solana repository.
+    1. `git checkout -b <branchname>`
+    1. `git push -u origin <branchname>`
+
+#### Update master with the next version
+
+1. After the new branch has been created and pushed, update Cargo.toml on **master** to the next semantic version (e.g. 0.9.0 -> 0.10.0)
+   by running `./scripts/increment-cargo-version.sh`, then rebuild with
+   `cargo build` to cause a refresh of `Cargo.lock`.
 1. Push your Cargo.toml change and the autogenerated Cargo.lock changes to the
    master branch
 
-At this point, ci/channel-info.sh should show your freshly cut release branch as
+At this point, `ci/channel-info.sh` should show your freshly cut release branch as
 "BETA_CHANNEL" and the previous release branch as "STABLE_CHANNEL".
 
 ### Updating channels (i.e. "making a release")
@@ -86,7 +91,8 @@ We use [github's Releases UI](https://github.com/solana-labs/solana/releases) fo
 1. Go [there ;)](https://github.com/solana-labs/solana/releases).
 1. Click "Draft new release".  The release tag must exactly match the `version`
    field in `/Cargo.toml` prefixed by `v` (ie, `<branchname>.X`).
-1. If the first major release on the branch (e.g. v0.8.0), paste in [this
+   1.  If the Cargo.toml verion field is **0.12.3**, then the release tag must be **v0.12.3**
+1. If this is the first release on the branch (e.g. v0.13.**0**), paste in [this
    template](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/solana-labs/solana/master/.github/RELEASE_TEMPLATE.md)
    and fill it in.
 1. Test the release by generating a tag using semver's rules.  First try at a
@@ -97,9 +103,9 @@ We use [github's Releases UI](https://github.com/solana-labs/solana/releases) fo
 1. After testnet deployment, verify that testnets are running correct software.
    http://metrics.solana.com should show testnet running on a hash from your
    newly created branch.
-1. Once the release has been made, update Cargo.toml on release to the next
+1. Once the release has been made, update Cargo.toml on the release branch to the next
    semantic version (e.g. 0.9.0 -> 0.9.1) by running
-   `./scripts/increment-cargo-version.sh patch`, then rebuild with a `cargo
-   build --all` to cause a refresh of `Cargo.lock`.
+   `./scripts/increment-cargo-version.sh patch`, then rebuild with `cargo
+   build` to cause a refresh of `Cargo.lock`.
 1. Push your Cargo.toml change and the autogenerated Cargo.lock changes to the
-   release branch
+   release branch.