diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 66892e5..eb21e7d 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -1310,7 +1310,7 @@ checksum = "a3f87b73ce11b1619a3c6332f45341e0047173771e8b8b73f87bfeefb7b56244"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "registry-backup"
-version = "0.2.0"
+version = "0.2.1"
 dependencies = [
  "chrono",
  "clap",
diff --git a/doc/README.tera.md b/doc/README.tera.md
index 574d632..a097f88 100644
--- a/doc/README.tera.md
+++ b/doc/README.tera.md
@@ -37,13 +37,13 @@ $ just --list
 
 The commands that mirror cargo commands (e.g. `just test`) are included for the purpose of convenience, so that various options (e.g. `RUSTFLAGS='-C target-cpu=native`) can be included without typing them out each time.
 
-## Generating README.md
+## Generating `README.md`
 
 This file is generated using a template (`doc/README.tera.md`) rendered using updated outputs of the CLI menu, config sample, and other values.
 
-This version of README.md was generated at `{{ generation_time }}` based on git commit `{{ git_commit }}`.
+This version of `README.md` was generated at `{{ generation_time }}` based on git commit `{{ git_commit }}`.
 
-To (re-)generate the README.md file, use the justfile command:
+To (re-)generate the `README.md` file, use the justfile command:
 
 ```console
 $ just generate-readme
diff --git a/justfile b/justfile
index 6d0211b..aaebdd4 100644
--- a/justfile
+++ b/justfile
@@ -56,10 +56,15 @@ release-prep:
     just pre-release
     VERSION=$(just get-crate-version) \
         && test -z "$(git tag | rg \"v${VERSION}\")" # Error: tag appears to exist already
+    just update-readme
+
+# re-generate README.md and commit changes
+update-readme:
     just generate-readme
+    git add README.md doc/*.txt
+    git commit -m 're-generate docs'
 
 release: release-prep
-    just verify-clean-git || ( git add README.md doc/*.txt && git commit -m 'update docs' )
     git tag "v$(just get-crate-version)"
     git push && git push --tags