diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-test-publish.yml b/.github/workflows/build-test-publish.yml
index f1c3bf7..36e0cd4 100755
--- a/.github/workflows/build-test-publish.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-test-publish.yml
@@ -339,6 +339,7 @@ jobs:
       artifact_path: ${{ inputs.artifact_path }}
       tool: ${{ inputs.tool }}
       release_pre: ${{ inputs.release_pre }}
+      root_dir: ${{ inputs.root_dir }}
 
   publish_crates_io:
     if: ${{ github.event_name == 'push' && inputs.tool == 'cargo' }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release-github.yml b/.github/workflows/release-github.yml
index 8d85ea4..660e9dd 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release-github.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release-github.yml
@@ -23,6 +23,11 @@ on:
         default: ""
         required: false
         type: string
+      root_dir:
+        description: "path to project root (where the manifest file is)"
+        default: "."
+        required: false
+        type: string
 
 jobs:
   release_github:
@@ -33,6 +38,9 @@ jobs:
       actions: write
       contents: write
       packages: read
+    defaults:
+      run:
+        working-directory: ${{ inputs.root_dir }}
     steps:
       - name: checkout repository
         uses: actions/checkout@v6