diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index f7fbb116..e229b791 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -54,19 +54,8 @@ jobs:
           github-token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
 
       # Mutually exclusive with tagging: update the existing version PR, not main.
-      - name: Sync README on Version Packages PR
-        if: steps.changesets.outputs['has-changesets'] == 'true'
-        run: |
-          git fetch origin changeset-release/main
-          git checkout -B changeset-release/main origin/changeset-release/main
-          yarn readme
-          if ! git diff --quiet -- README.md; then
-            git config user.name 'github-actions[bot]'
-            git config user.email '41898282+github-actions[bot]@users.noreply.github.com'
-            git add README.md
-            git commit -m 'docs: sync generated README'
-            git push origin HEAD:changeset-release/main
-          fi
+      # The README is regenerated by the version-packages script, so the
+      # Version Packages PR commit includes it alongside the version bumps.
 
       # Only the merged version commit has no pending changesets.
       - name: Tag released versions
diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index 9c33e012..d789cf1c 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ After `yarn install`, the `prepare` script runs `husky` and sets `core.hooksPath
 | **pre-commit** | `yarn lint-staged` — format + lint staged files; package tests for staged `codemods/**/scripts/*` ([`.lintstagedrc.json`](./.lintstagedrc.json))              |
 | **pre-push**   | `yarn check:changed` (the `check-changed` bin from [`@backstage/scripts`](./packages/scripts)) — the **same** format / lint / package-name / test gates as CI |
 
-CI (`.github/workflows/ci.yml`) calls that same script, so local and remote gates cannot drift. Run `yarn check:changed` anytime to reproduce CI locally. Codemod PRs do not regenerate or check the root README; leave it unchanged. After codemods land on `main` with changesets, the release workflow regenerates the README on the **Version Packages** PR, so changeset consumption, version bumps, and the README update always land together. There is no separate README-sync workflow: if the README drifts without a changeset, regenerate it on the next release PR, or run `yarn readme` locally and commit the result through a normal PR.
+CI (`.github/workflows/ci.yml`) calls that same script, so local and remote gates cannot drift. Run `yarn check:changed` anytime to reproduce CI locally. Codemod PRs do not regenerate or check the root README; leave it unchanged. After codemods land on `main` with changesets, the release workflow's `version-packages` script (`changeset version && sync-codemod-versions && generate-readme-codemods`) regenerates the README as part of the same version commit, so changeset consumption, version bumps, and the README update always land together on the **Version Packages** PR. There is no separate README-sync workflow: if the README drifts without a changeset, regenerate it on the next release PR, or run `yarn readme` locally and commit the result through a normal PR.
 
 ## Making changes
 
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index f05d1717..987c2981 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
     "lint:fix": "oxlint --type-aware --type-check --fix --no-error-on-unmatched-pattern --ignore-pattern .worktrees",
     "prepare": "husky",
     "changeset": "changeset",
-    "version-packages": "changeset version && sync-codemod-versions",
+    "version-packages": "changeset version && sync-codemod-versions && generate-readme-codemods",
     "readme": "generate-readme-codemods",
     "check:changed": "check-changed",
     "tag-and-publish": "tag-and-publish"
diff --git a/packages/scripts/tests/wiring.test.ts b/packages/scripts/tests/wiring.test.ts
index ad79cc1e..407d26c0 100644
--- a/packages/scripts/tests/wiring.test.ts
+++ b/packages/scripts/tests/wiring.test.ts
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ test('release workflow calls the bins', () => {
 
 test('root package.json scripts and devDependency use the bins', () => {
   const manifest = JSON.parse(read('package.json')) as { scripts: Record<string, string>; devDependencies: Record<string, string> }
-  assert.equal(manifest.scripts['version-packages'], 'changeset version && sync-codemod-versions')
+  assert.equal(manifest.scripts['version-packages'], 'changeset version && sync-codemod-versions && generate-readme-codemods')
   assert.equal(manifest.scripts['readme'], 'generate-readme-codemods')
   assert.equal(manifest.scripts['check:changed'], 'check-changed')
   assert.ok(manifest.devDependencies['@backstage/scripts'] !== undefined)