diff --git a/tools/create_release.py b/tools/create_release.py
index fbacf28..a111938 100755
--- a/tools/create_release.py
+++ b/tools/create_release.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 import os
 import re
 import subprocess  # nosec
+import traceback
 from dataclasses import dataclass
 
 import create_tarballs
@@ -123,6 +124,7 @@ def __init__(self, config: Config, git_prov: git.Git, github_prov: github.GitHub
         self.config = config
         self.git = git_prov
         self.github = github_prov
+        self.version = ""
 
     def require(self, condition: bool, message: str | None = None) -> None:
         if not condition:
@@ -130,22 +132,50 @@ def require(self, condition: bool, message: str | None = None) -> None:
 
     def assign_to_user(
         self,
-        s: stage.Stage,
+        s: stage.Stage | None,
         version: str,
         task: str | None = None,
         action: str = "",
         instruction: str | None = None,
     ) -> stage.UserAbort:
         """Assign the issue to the acting user for them to take some action."""
-        self.github.issue_unassign(self.config.issue, ["toktok-releaser"])
-        self.github.issue_assign(self.config.issue, [self.github.actor()])
+        if self.config.issue:
+            self.github.issue_unassign(self.config.issue, ["toktok-releaser"])
+            self.github.issue_assign(self.config.issue, [self.github.actor()])
         self.update_dashboard(version, current_task=task, instruction=instruction)
-        s.ok(f"Assigned to {self.github.actor()}")
+        if s:
+            s.ok(f"Assigned to {self.github.actor()}")
         return stage.UserAbort(f"Returning to the user to {action}")
 
+    def report_failure(self, version: str, exception: Exception) -> None:
+        """Report a failure to the release tracking issue."""
+        if not self.config.issue:
+            return
+
+        instruction = f"❌ **Failure:** {exception}"
+        self.assign_to_user(
+            None,
+            version,
+            action="fix the failure",
+            instruction=instruction,
+        )
+
+    def run(self) -> None:
+        """Run the release process."""
+        try:
+            self.run_stages()
+        except stage.UserAbort as e:
+            print(e.message)
+        except Exception as e:
+            traceback.print_exc()
+            self.report_failure(self.version, e)
+            raise e
+
     def compute_done_milestones(self, version: str) -> set[str]:
         """Heuristics to determine which milestones are completed."""
-        done = set()
+        done: set[str] = set()
+        if not version:
+            return done
 
         # 1. Preparation
         if self.github.find_pr_for_branch(
@@ -200,15 +230,20 @@ def render_progress_list(
         ]
 
         lines = []
+        instruction_rendered = False
         for name, desc in milestones:
             status = "[x]" if name in done else "[ ]"
             if current_task == name:
                 lines.append(f"- {status} **Current Step: {desc}**")
                 if instruction:
                     lines.append(f"  > ℹ️ **Action Required:** {instruction}")
+                    instruction_rendered = True
             else:
                 lines.append(f"- {status} {desc}")
 
+        if instruction and not instruction_rendered:
+            lines.append(f"\nℹ️ **Action Required:** {instruction}")
+
         return "\n".join(lines)
 
     def update_dashboard(
@@ -272,6 +307,7 @@ def stage_version(self) -> str:
                 if self.config.version == "latest":
                     version = self.github.latest_release()
                     s.ok(f"Using latest release {version}")
+                    self.version = version
                     return version
 
                 self.require(
@@ -280,6 +316,7 @@ def stage_version(self) -> str:
                     f"(expected: {git.VERSION_REGEX.pattern})",
                 )
                 s.ok(f"Accepting override version {self.config.version}")
+                self.version = self.config.version
                 return self.config.version
             version = self.github.next_milestone().title
             if not self.config.production:
@@ -288,6 +325,7 @@ def stage_version(self) -> str:
                 version = f"{version}-rc.{rc + 1}"
             self.require(re.match(git.VERSION_REGEX, version) is not None)
             s.ok(version)
+        self.version = version
         return version
 
     def stage_rename_issue(self, version: str) -> None:
@@ -931,13 +969,15 @@ def stage_close_issue(self) -> None:
             self.github.close_issue(self.config.issue)
             s.ok(f"Issue {self.config.issue} closed")
 
-    def run_stages(self) -> None:
-        self.require(self.git.current_branch() == self.config.branch)
-        self.require(self.git.is_clean())
+    def run_stages(self, version: str | None = None) -> None:
+        if version is None:
+            self.require(self.git.current_branch() == self.config.branch)
+            self.require(self.git.is_clean())
+
+            self.stage_init()
 
-        self.stage_init()
+            version = self.stage_version()
 
-        version = self.stage_version()
         self.stage_rename_issue(version)
         self.stage_assign_milestone(version)
         self.stage_production_ready(version)
@@ -995,19 +1035,15 @@ def main(config: Config) -> None:
     git_prov = git.DEFAULT_GIT
     github_prov = github.DEFAULT_GITHUB
 
-    try:
-        # Stash any local changes for the user to later resume working on.
-        with git.Stash(prov=git_prov):
-            # We need to be on the main branch to create a release, but we
-            # want to return to the original branch afterwards.
-            with git.Checkout(config.branch, prov=git_prov):
-                # Undo any partial changes if the script is aborted.
-                with git.ResetOnExit(prov=git_prov):
-                    releaser = Releaser(config, git_prov, github_prov)
-                    releaser.run_stages()
-    except stage.UserAbort as e:
-        print(e.message)
-        return
+    # Stash any local changes for the user to later resume working on.
+    with git.Stash(prov=git_prov):
+        # We need to be on the main branch to create a release, but we
+        # want to return to the original branch afterwards.
+        with git.Checkout(config.branch, prov=git_prov):
+            # Undo any partial changes if the script is aborted.
+            with git.ResetOnExit(prov=git_prov):
+                releaser = Releaser(config, git_prov, github_prov)
+                releaser.run()
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
diff --git a/tools/create_release_test.py b/tools/create_release_test.py
index fd86977..b2577c6 100644
--- a/tools/create_release_test.py
+++ b/tools/create_release_test.py
@@ -50,5 +50,44 @@ def test_render_all_done(self) -> None:
         self.assertIn("[x] Finalize release", rendered)
 
 
+class TestReleaserLogic(unittest.TestCase):
+    def setUp(self) -> None:
+        self.config = Config(
+            branch="master",
+            main_branch="master",
+            dryrun=False,
+            force=True,
+            github_actions=True,
+            issue=1,
+            production=True,
+            rebase=True,
+            resume=False,
+            verify=False,
+            version="v1.0.0",
+            upstream="origin",
+        )
+        self.github = MagicMock()
+        self.git = MagicMock()
+        self.releaser = Releaser(self.config, self.git, self.github)
+
+    def test_report_failure(self) -> None:
+        self.github.actor.return_value = "human"
+        self.github.get_issue.return_value = MagicMock(
+            body="### Release progress\n[ ] ..."
+        )
+
+        self.releaser.report_failure("v1.0.0", Exception("Something went wrong"))
+
+        # Check that issue was reassigned
+        self.github.issue_unassign.assert_called_with(1, ["toktok-releaser"])
+        self.github.issue_assign.assert_called_with(1, ["human"])
+
+        # Check that dashboard was updated
+        self.github.change_issue.assert_called()
+        args, kwargs = self.github.change_issue.call_args
+        self.assertEqual(args[0], 1)
+        self.assertIn("❌ **Failure:** Something went wrong", args[1]["body"])
+
+
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     unittest.main()
diff --git a/tools/release_e2e_test.py b/tools/release_e2e_test.py
index dfe685e..f653148 100644
--- a/tools/release_e2e_test.py
+++ b/tools/release_e2e_test.py
@@ -287,6 +287,7 @@ def __init__(self) -> None:
         self._log: list[str] = ["initial commit"]
         self._up_to_date = False
         self._rebase_success = True
+        self._is_clean = True
 
     def current_branch(self) -> str:
         return self._current_branch
@@ -298,7 +299,7 @@ def log(self, branch: str, count: int = 100) -> list[str]:
         return self._log
 
     def is_clean(self) -> bool:
-        return True
+        return self._is_clean
 
     def branch_sha(self, branch: str) -> str:
         return "sha123"
@@ -741,6 +742,32 @@ def test_release_ci_failure(self) -> None:
 
             self.assertIn("checks failed", str(cm.exception))
 
+    def test_run_reports_failure(self) -> None:
+        config = self.make_config()
+        gh = FakeGitHub()
+        gh.add_issue(
+            1,
+            "Release tracking issue: v1.0.0",
+            "### Release progress\n[ ] ...\nProduction release",
+        )
+        gh.add_milestone(1, "v1.0.0")
+
+        gt = FakeGit()
+        # Mock git.is_clean to fail to trigger an exception in run()
+        gt._is_clean = False
+
+        releaser = Releaser(config, gt, gh)
+
+        with self.release_mocks(gh, gt):
+            with self.assertRaises(Exception):
+                releaser.run()
+
+            # Verify reassignment to human
+            self.assertEqual(gh._issues[1]["assignees"], [{"login": "human"}])
+
+            # Verify failure message in dashboard
+            self.assertIn("❌ **Failure:** Requirement not met", gh._issues[1]["body"])
+
     def test_release_ci_timeout(self) -> None:
         config = self.make_config()
         gh = FakeGitHub()