diff --git a/Scripts/developer_scripts/create_new_release b/Scripts/developer_scripts/create_new_release
index d30bf5b6794..2f44201a12e 100755
--- a/Scripts/developer_scripts/create_new_release
+++ b/Scripts/developer_scripts/create_new_release
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ if [ "$DO_PUBLIC" ]; then
     mv include/CGAL/version.h include/CGAL/version.h.internal
     sed -e "s/define CGAL_VERSION .*/define CGAL_VERSION $public_release_version/" -e "s/define CGAL_VERSION_NR .*/define CGAL_VERSION_NR $public_release_number/" include/CGAL/version.h.internal > include/CGAL/version.h
     rm include/CGAL/version.h.internal
-    echo -n $public_release_number > VERSION 2>&1
+    echo -n $public_release_version > VERSION 2>&1
     cd ..
     tar -cf "${public_release_name}.tar" "${public_release_name}"
     gzip "${public_release_name}.tar"