diff --git a/scripts/quick-release.sh b/scripts/quick-release.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..0e07757a9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/quick-release.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,137 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+set -e
+
+SCRIPT_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "$0")" && pwd)"
+ROOT_DIR="$SCRIPT_DIR/.."
+
+echo "=== BRK Quick Release ==="
+echo ""
+
+# Check if version argument provided
+if [ -z "$1" ]; then
+    echo "Usage: $0 <version|bump>"
+    echo "Examples:"
+    echo "  $0 0.1.0-alpha.3"
+    echo "  $0 patch"
+    echo "  $0 minor"
+    echo "  $0 major"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+RELEASE_ARG="$1"
+echo "Release argument: $RELEASE_ARG"
+echo ""
+
+# Load tokens
+if [ -f "$SCRIPT_DIR/.tokens" ]; then
+    source "$SCRIPT_DIR/.tokens"
+fi
+
+# ============================================================================
+# 0. VERIFY TOKENS
+# ============================================================================
+
+echo "=== Verifying tokens ==="
+echo ""
+
+echo "--- npm ---"
+npm whoami || { echo "npm not authenticated. Run: npm login"; exit 1; }
+echo ""
+
+echo "--- PyPI ---"
+if [ -z "$UV_PUBLISH_TOKEN" ]; then
+    echo "UV_PUBLISH_TOKEN not set. Add it to scripts/.tokens"
+    exit 1
+fi
+echo "OK"
+echo ""
+
+# ============================================================================
+# 1. BUILD
+# ============================================================================
+
+echo "=== Building ==="
+echo ""
+
+echo "--- Rust ---"
+cd "$ROOT_DIR"
+cargo build --workspace --release
+echo ""
+
+echo "--- JavaScript ---"
+cd "$ROOT_DIR/modules/brk-client"
+# JS doesn't need build step, just verify it loads
+node -e "import('./index.js')"
+echo "OK"
+echo ""
+
+echo "--- Python ---"
+cd "$ROOT_DIR/packages/brk_client"
+uv build
+echo ""
+
+# ============================================================================
+# 2. GENERATE DOCS
+# ============================================================================
+
+echo "=== Generating docs ==="
+echo ""
+
+echo "--- JavaScript ---"
+"$SCRIPT_DIR/js-docs.sh"
+echo ""
+
+echo "--- Python ---"
+"$SCRIPT_DIR/python-docs.sh"
+echo ""
+
+# Commit generated docs
+cd "$ROOT_DIR"
+git add -A
+git commit -m "docs: update generated docs" || echo "No doc changes to commit"
+echo ""
+
+# ============================================================================
+# 3. CARGO RELEASE (Rust crates)
+# ============================================================================
+
+echo "=== Rust release ==="
+echo ""
+
+cd "$ROOT_DIR"
+
+# Version bump, commit, and tag (but don't publish yet)
+cargo release "$RELEASE_ARG" --execute --no-publish --no-confirm
+
+# Publish crates with retry logic for rate limits
+"$SCRIPT_DIR/rust-publish.sh"
+
+# Extract actual version from Cargo.toml after release
+VERSION=$(grep '^package.version' "$ROOT_DIR/Cargo.toml" | sed 's/.*= *"//' | sed 's/".*//')
+echo ""
+echo "Released Rust crates at version: $VERSION"
+
+# ============================================================================
+# 4. JAVASCRIPT PACKAGE
+# ============================================================================
+
+echo ""
+echo "=== JavaScript package ==="
+"$SCRIPT_DIR/js-publish.sh" "$VERSION"
+echo ""
+
+# ============================================================================
+# 5. PYTHON PACKAGE
+# ============================================================================
+
+echo ""
+echo "=== Python package ==="
+"$SCRIPT_DIR/python-publish.sh" "$VERSION"
+echo ""
+
+# ============================================================================
+# DONE
+# ============================================================================
+
+echo "=== Done! ==="
+echo "Released v$VERSION"
diff --git a/scripts/release.sh b/scripts/release.sh
index 85b29e0a3..bae2681f5 100755
--- a/scripts/release.sh
+++ b/scripts/release.sh
@@ -22,30 +22,6 @@ RELEASE_ARG="$1"
 echo "Release argument: $RELEASE_ARG"
 echo ""
 
-# Load tokens
-if [ -f "$SCRIPT_DIR/.tokens" ]; then
-    source "$SCRIPT_DIR/.tokens"
-fi
-
-# ============================================================================
-# 0. VERIFY TOKENS
-# ============================================================================
-
-echo "=== Verifying tokens ==="
-echo ""
-
-echo "--- npm ---"
-npm whoami || { echo "npm not authenticated. Run: npm login"; exit 1; }
-echo ""
-
-echo "--- PyPI ---"
-if [ -z "$UV_PUBLISH_TOKEN" ]; then
-    echo "UV_PUBLISH_TOKEN not set. Add it to scripts/.tokens"
-    exit 1
-fi
-echo "OK"
-echo ""
-
 # ============================================================================
 # 1. TESTS
 # ============================================================================
@@ -73,91 +49,7 @@ uv run pytest tests/ -s
 echo ""
 
 # ============================================================================
-# 2. BUILD
+# 2. QUICK RELEASE
 # ============================================================================
 
-echo "=== Building ==="
-echo ""
-
-echo "--- Rust ---"
-cd "$ROOT_DIR"
-cargo build --workspace --release
-echo ""
-
-echo "--- JavaScript ---"
-cd "$ROOT_DIR/modules/brk-client"
-# JS doesn't need build step, just verify it loads
-node -e "import('./index.js')"
-echo "OK"
-echo ""
-
-echo "--- Python ---"
-cd "$ROOT_DIR/packages/brk_client"
-uv build
-echo ""
-
-# ============================================================================
-# 3. GENERATE DOCS
-# ============================================================================
-
-echo "=== Generating docs ==="
-echo ""
-
-echo "--- JavaScript ---"
-"$SCRIPT_DIR/js-docs.sh"
-echo ""
-
-echo "--- Python ---"
-"$SCRIPT_DIR/python-docs.sh"
-echo ""
-
-# Commit generated docs
-cd "$ROOT_DIR"
-git add -A
-git commit -m "docs: update generated docs" || echo "No doc changes to commit"
-echo ""
-
-# ============================================================================
-# 4. CARGO RELEASE (Rust crates)
-# ============================================================================
-
-echo "=== Rust release ==="
-echo ""
-
-cd "$ROOT_DIR"
-
-# Version bump, commit, and tag (but don't publish yet)
-cargo release "$RELEASE_ARG" --execute --no-publish --no-confirm
-
-# Publish crates with retry logic for rate limits
-"$SCRIPT_DIR/rust-publish.sh"
-
-# Extract actual version from Cargo.toml after release
-VERSION=$(grep '^package.version' "$ROOT_DIR/Cargo.toml" | sed 's/.*= *"//' | sed 's/".*//')
-echo ""
-echo "Released Rust crates at version: $VERSION"
-
-# ============================================================================
-# 5. JAVASCRIPT PACKAGE
-# ============================================================================
-
-echo ""
-echo "=== JavaScript package ==="
-"$SCRIPT_DIR/js-publish.sh" "$VERSION"
-echo ""
-
-# ============================================================================
-# 6. PYTHON PACKAGE
-# ============================================================================
-
-echo ""
-echo "=== Python package ==="
-"$SCRIPT_DIR/python-publish.sh" "$VERSION"
-echo ""
-
-# ============================================================================
-# DONE
-# ============================================================================
-
-echo "=== Done! ==="
-echo "Released v$VERSION"
+"$SCRIPT_DIR/quick-release.sh" "$RELEASE_ARG"