diff --git a/.github/scripts/generate_release_notes.py b/.github/scripts/generate_release_notes.py
index af1bb3911..8e20f07b8 100644
--- a/.github/scripts/generate_release_notes.py
+++ b/.github/scripts/generate_release_notes.py
@@ -2,9 +2,12 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0 WITH LLVM-exception
 
 # get the last release tag from git, and use it to find all merged PRs since
-# that tag. extract their titles, labels and PR numbers and classify them into
-# break changes, new # features, enhancements, bug fixes, and others based on
-# their labels.
+# that tag. Since their titles might not following the same format, we use
+# gh cli to search merged PR by commit SHA.
+#
+# Once having those PRs' information, extract their titles, labels and PR
+# numbers and classify them into break changes, new features, enhancements,
+# bug fixes, and others based on their labels.
 #
 # The release version is generated based on the last release tag.  The tag
 # should be in the format of "WAMR-major.minor.patch", where major, minor,
@@ -56,25 +59,25 @@ def get_last_release_tag():
 
 def get_merged_prs_since(tag):
     # Get commits  since the last release tag
-    log_cmd = f'git log {tag}..HEAD --pretty=format:"%s"'
+    log_cmd = f'git log {tag}..HEAD --pretty=format:"%s %H"'
     logs = run_cmd(log_cmd).splitlines()
 
     print(f"Found {len(logs)} merge commits since last tag '{tag}'.")
 
     pr_numbers = []
     for line in logs:
-        # assume the commit message ends with "(#PR_NUMBER)"
-        if not line.endswith(")"):
-            continue
+        _, sha = line.rsplit(" ", 1)
+        # Use SHA to find merged PRs
+        pr_cmd = f"gh pr list --search {sha} --state merged --json number,title"
+        pr_json = run_cmd(pr_cmd)
+        pr_data = json.loads(pr_json)
 
-        # Extract PR number
-        parts = line.split("(#")
-        if len(parts) < 2:
-            continue
+        for pr in pr_data:
+            pr_number = pr.get("number")
+            print(f"Found PR #{pr_number} {pr['title']}")
+            if pr_number and pr_number not in pr_numbers:
+                pr_numbers.append(f"{pr_number}")
 
-        # PR_NUMBER) -> PR_NUMBER
-        pr_num = parts[1][:-1]
-        pr_numbers.append(pr_num)
     return pr_numbers
 
 
@@ -145,7 +148,7 @@ def format_release_notes(version, sections):
         else:
             notes.append("")
         notes.append("")
-    return "\n".join(notes)
+    return "\n".join(notes) + "\n"
 
 
 def insert_release_notes(notes, RELEASE_NOTES_FILE):
diff --git a/.github/workflows/prepare_release.yml b/.github/workflows/prepare_release.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ed86f7c2e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/prepare_release.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+# Copyright (C) 2019 Intel Corporation.  All rights reserved.
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0 WITH LLVM-exception
+
+# It includes:
+#   - add new content into the RELEASE_NOTES.md
+#   - update the version in build-scripts/version.cmake and core/version.h
+#
+# The new content is added to the beginning of the RELEASE_NOTES.md file.
+# It includes all merged PR titles since the last release(tag).
+# Based on every PR's label, it will be categorized into different sections.
+#
+# The version number is updated to the next version.
+# Based on new content in the RELEASE_NOTES.md, it will be determined
+# 1. if there is breaking change or new features, the next version will be a minor version
+# 2. if there is no breaking change and new features, the next version will be a patch version
+#
+# At the end, file a PR to update the files.
+
+name: preparation for a release.
+
+on:
+  workflow_dispatch:
+
+# Cancel any in-flight jobs for the same PR/branch so there's only one active
+# at a time
+concurrency:
+  group: ${{ github.workflow }}-${{ github.ref }}
+  cancel-in-progress: true
+
+jobs:
+  prepare_release:
+    permissions:
+      contents: write # update files
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: prepare the release note
+        id: generate_release_notes
+        run: |
+          python3 ./.github/scripts/generate_release_notes.py ./RELEASE_NOTES.md"
+
+      - name: extract next version from previous step's output
+        id: extract_version
+        run: |
+          echo "next_version=${{ steps.generate_release_notes.outputs.next_version }}" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+
+      - name: update version files
+        run: |
+          python3 ./.github/scripts/update_version_files.py ${{ env.next_version }}
+
+      - name: file a PR
+        id: file_pr
+        uses: peter-evans/create-pull-request@v4
+        with:
+          token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+          title: "Prepare for the next release"
+          body: |
+            This PR prepares for the next release.
+            It updates the version files and adds new content to the RELEASE_NOTES.md.
+          commit-message: "prepare for the next release"
+          branch: prepare-release-${{ github.run_id }}
+          paths: |
+            RELEASE_NOTES.md
+            build-scripts/version.cmake
+            core/version.h