diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 99c056c..e88d853 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -26,10 +26,6 @@ jobs:
         with:
           node-version: 20
       - run: yarn install
-      - id: install-semver-tool
-        run: |
-          wget -O /usr/local/bin/semver https://raw.githubusercontent.com/fsaintjacques/semver-tool/master/src/semver
-          chmod +x /usr/local/bin/semver
       - run: yarn zx ./release.mjs -v $VERSION_TO_BUMP
         env:
           VERSION_TO_BUMP: ${{ inputs.versionToBump }}
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index ab18e8f..a926feb 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@
     "jest-environment-jsdom": "29.7.0",
     "react": "18.3.1",
     "react-dom": "18.3.1",
+    "semver": "7.6.2",
     "ts-jest": "29.1.5",
     "tsup": "8.1.0",
     "typescript": "5.5.3",
diff --git a/release.mjs b/release.mjs
index 4eaefc7..952f0ee 100755
--- a/release.mjs
+++ b/release.mjs
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env zx
-
 /*
 * Script to release the seats.io java lib.
 *   - changes the version number in README.md
@@ -10,11 +8,12 @@
 * Prerequisites:
 *   - zx installed (https://github.com/google/zx)
 *   - gh cli installed (https://cli.github.com/)
-*   - semver cli installed (https://github.com/fsaintjacques/semver-tool)
 *
 * Usage:
-*   zx ./release.mjs -v major/minor -n "release notes"
-* */
+*   yarn zx ./release.mjs -v major/minor -n "release notes"
+*
+*/
+const semver = require('semver')
 
 // don't output the commands themselves
 $.verbose = false
@@ -49,7 +48,7 @@ async function fetchLatestReleasedVersionNumber() {
 }
 
 async function determineNextVersionNumber(previous) {
-    return (await $`semver bump ${versionToBump} ${previous}`).stdout.trim()
+    return semver.inc(previous, versionToBump)
 }
 
 async function bumpVersionInFiles() {