diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index dde433d48..129afa357 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -71,13 +71,14 @@ We use `auto` to automate the release process. Versions are bumped, tags are cre
 
 Additionally, a PR **may** have exactly one of these labels:
 
-- `release` creates a `latest` rather than a `next` release (see below)
+- `release` creates a `latest` rather than a `next` release on npm
+- `next-release` creates a `next` rather than a `latest` release on npm
 - `skip-release` does not create a release at all
 
 We have three types of releases:
 
 - `latest` releases are the general audience production releases, used by most people. Automatically created when merging a PR with the `release` label.
-- `next` releases should be valid, working releases that can potentially be used by early adopters of new features, for example to handle a support request. Automatically created when merging a PR without the `release` and `skip-release` labels.
+- `next` releases should be valid, working releases that can potentially be used by early adopters of new features, for example to handle a support request. Automatically created when merging a PR with the `next-release` label.
 - `canary` releases are intended for testing purposes and should not be used in production, as they may only work against a staging or dev environment. Automatically created on every PR, but does not auto-publush the GitHub Action.
 
 > For GitHub Actions, we publish `chromaui/action-next` and `chromaui/action-canary`. The latter is only published manually, rather than for every PR.
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index c5e84467c..87a57ba45 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -213,7 +213,8 @@
       "released"
     ],
     "shipit": {
-      "onlyGraduateWithReleaseLabel": true
+      "onlyGraduateWithReleaseLabel": true,
+      "prerelease": true
     }
   },
   "docs": "https://www.chromatic.com/docs/cli",