diff --git a/cmd/release/cmd/generate.go b/cmd/release/cmd/generate.go
index 185cc03f..dcc6286d 100644
--- a/cmd/release/cmd/generate.go
+++ b/cmd/release/cmd/generate.go
@@ -32,17 +32,18 @@ var k3sGenerateSubCmd = &cobra.Command{
 	Use:   "k3s",
 	Short: "",
 	Long:  ``,
-	Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
+	RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		ctx := context.Background()
 		client := repository.NewGithub(ctx, rootConfig.Auth.GithubToken)
 
 		notes, err := release.GenReleaseNotes(ctx, "k3s-io", "k3s", *milestone, *prevMilestone, client)
 		if err != nil {
-			fmt.Println(err)
-			os.Exit(1)
+			return err
 		}
 
 		fmt.Print(notes.String())
+
+		return nil
 	},
 }
 
@@ -50,17 +51,18 @@ var rke2GenerateSubCmd = &cobra.Command{
 	Use:   "rke2",
 	Short: "",
 	Long:  ``,
-	Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
+	RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		ctx := context.Background()
 		client := repository.NewGithub(ctx, rootConfig.Auth.GithubToken)
 
 		notes, err := release.GenReleaseNotes(ctx, "rancher", "rke2", *milestone, *prevMilestone, client)
 		if err != nil {
-			fmt.Println(err)
-			os.Exit(1)
+			return err
 		}
 
 		fmt.Print(notes.String())
+
+		return nil
 	},
 }
 
diff --git a/cmd/release/cmd/root.go b/cmd/release/cmd/root.go
index dd9dcc47..4651bab4 100644
--- a/cmd/release/cmd/root.go
+++ b/cmd/release/cmd/root.go
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 )
 
+var dryRun *bool
 var rootConfig *config.Config
 
 // rootCmd represents the base command when called without any subcommands
@@ -21,8 +22,8 @@ var rootCmd = &cobra.Command{
 // Execute adds all child commands to the root command and sets flags appropriately.
 // This is called by main.main(). It only needs to happen once to the rootCmd.
 func Execute() {
-	err := rootCmd.Execute()
-	if err != nil {
+	if err := rootCmd.Execute(); err != nil {
+		fmt.Println("error: " + err.Error())
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
 }
diff --git a/cmd/release/cmd/tag.go b/cmd/release/cmd/tag.go
index 58189fa1..a7dbe796 100644
--- a/cmd/release/cmd/tag.go
+++ b/cmd/release/cmd/tag.go
@@ -2,8 +2,10 @@ package cmd
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/rancher/ecm-distro-tools/release/rke2"
 	"github.com/rancher/ecm-distro-tools/repository"
@@ -11,7 +13,10 @@ import (
 )
 
 var (
-	alpineVersion *string
+	alpineVersion  *string
+	releaseVersion *string
+	rcVersion      *string
+	rpmVersion     *int
 )
 
 // tagCmd represents the tag command.
@@ -40,19 +45,80 @@ var rke2TagSubCmd = &cobra.Command{
 	Use:   "rke2",
 	Short: "",
 	Long:  ``,
-	Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
+	RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
+		if len(*releaseVersion) != 2 {
+			return errors.New("invalid release version")
+		}
+
 		ctx := context.Background()
 		client := repository.NewGithub(ctx, rootConfig.Auth.GithubToken)
 
 		switch args[0] {
+		case "image-build-base":
+			if err := rke2.ImageBuildBaseRelease(ctx, client, *alpineVersion, *dryRun); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
 		case "image-build-kubernetes":
-			if err := rke2.ImageBuildBaseRelease(ctx, client, *alpineVersion, false); err != nil {
-				fmt.Println(err)
-				os.Exit(1)
+			now := time.Now().UTC().Format("20060201")
+			suffix := "+rke2" + *releaseVersion + "-build" + now
+
+			if *dryRun {
+				fmt.Println("dry-run:")
+				for _, version := range rootConfig.RKE2.Versions {
+					fmt.Println("\t" + version + suffix)
+				}
+			} else {
+				for _, version := range rootConfig.RKE2.Versions {
+					cro := repository.CreateReleaseOpts{
+						Owner:      "rancher",
+						Repo:       "image-build-kubernetes",
+						Branch:     "master",
+						Name:       version + suffix,
+						Prerelease: false,
+					}
+					if _, err := repository.CreateRelease(ctx, client, &cro); err != nil {
+						return err
+					}
+
+					fmt.Println("tag " + version + suffix + " created successfully")
+				}
+			}
+		case "rke2":
+			//
+		case "rpm":
+			if len(args) == 1 {
+				return errors.New("invalid rpm tag. expected {testinglatest|stable}")
 			}
 
-			fmt.Println("Successfully tagged")
+			rpmTag := fmt.Sprintf("+rke2%s.%s.%d", *releaseVersion, args[1], *rpmVersion)
+			if *rcVersion != "" {
+				rpmTag = fmt.Sprintf("+rke2%s-rc%s.%s.%d", *releaseVersion, *rcVersion, args[1], *rpmVersion)
+			}
+
+			if *dryRun {
+				fmt.Print("(dry-run)\n\nTagging github.com/rancher/rke2-packaging:\n\n")
+				for _, version := range rootConfig.RKE2.Versions {
+					fmt.Println("\t" + version + rpmTag)
+				}
+			} else {
+				for _, version := range rootConfig.RKE2.Versions {
+					cro := repository.CreateReleaseOpts{
+						Owner:      "rancher",
+						Repo:       "rke2-packaging",
+						Branch:     "master",
+						Name:       version + rpmTag,
+						Prerelease: false,
+					}
+					if _, err := repository.CreateRelease(ctx, client, &cro); err != nil {
+						return err
+					}
+				}
+			}
+		default:
+			return errors.New("unrecognized resource")
 		}
+
+		return nil
 	},
 }
 
@@ -62,6 +128,13 @@ func init() {
 	tagCmd.AddCommand(k3sTagSubCmd)
 	tagCmd.AddCommand(rke2TagSubCmd)
 
+	dryRun = tagCmd.PersistentFlags().BoolP("dry-run", "d", false, "Dry run")
+
+	alpineVersion = rke2TagSubCmd.Flags().StringP("alpine-version", "a", "", "Alpine version")
+	releaseVersion = rke2TagSubCmd.Flags().StringP("release-version", "r", "r1", "Release version")
+	rcVersion = rke2TagSubCmd.Flags().String("rc", "", "RC version")
+	rpmVersion = rke2TagSubCmd.Flags().Int("rpm-version", 0, "RPM version")
+
 	// Here you will define your flags and configuration settings.
 
 	// Cobra supports Persistent Flags which will work for this command
@@ -70,5 +143,5 @@ func init() {
 
 	// Cobra supports local flags which will only run when this command
 	// is called directly, e.g.:
-	tagCmd.Flags().StringP("alpine-version", "a", "", "Alpine version")
+
 }