diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yaml b/.github/workflows/release.yaml
index 1082731..c7f6954 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yaml
@@ -45,12 +45,6 @@ jobs:
             exit 1
           fi
 
-          PACKAGE_VERSION="$(node -p "require('./package.json').version")"
-          if [ "${PACKAGE_VERSION}" != "${VERSION}" ]; then
-            echo "Tag version ${VERSION} does not match package.json version ${PACKAGE_VERSION}" >&2
-            exit 1
-          fi
-
           {
             echo "version=${VERSION}"
             echo "major=${MAJOR}"
diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
index 0c44c40..e3eb890 100644
--- a/AGENTS.md
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 
 The Makefile mirrors those workflows with `make install`, `make start`, `make lint`, `make lint-fix`, `make helm-lint`, `make helm-template`, `make helm-verify`, `make build-container`, `make run-container`, `make release-tag`, and `make example-request`.
 
-`package.json` is the single source of truth for the service version. Release publishing is tag-driven: bump `package.json`'s `version`, commit it, create a matching `vX.Y.Z` tag, and push the tag to trigger Docker publish plus GitHub Release creation.
+Release publishing is tag-driven: create a matching `vX.Y.Z` git tag and push it to trigger Docker publish plus GitHub Release creation. The service version is no longer stored in `package.json`.
 
 ## Testing expectations
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a7f9468..d5dcf93 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ make install
 make start
 ```
 
-Release versions come from [`package.json`](package.json). To publish a release, bump `version`, commit the change, create a `vX.Y.Z` tag, and push that tag. The release workflow publishes Docker images for `X.Y.Z`, `X.Y`, `X`, and `latest`, and creates the matching GitHub Release with generated notes.
+Release versions come from the git tag (`vX.Y.Z`). To publish a release, create a `vX.Y.Z` tag and push it. The release workflow publishes Docker images for `X.Y.Z`, `X.Y`, `X`, and `latest`, and creates the matching GitHub Release with generated notes.
 
 ## Helm chart
 
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ Artifact Hub should reference the external Helm repository URL `https://phpdocke
 
 ## Release and versioning
 
-Docker image publishing remains tag-driven. Bump [`package.json`](package.json), commit it, create the matching `vX.Y.Z` tag, and push the tag to publish the container image and GitHub Release.
+Docker image publishing remains tag-driven. Create the matching `vX.Y.Z` tag and push it to publish the container image and GitHub Release.
 
 Helm chart publishing is separate and runs from chart changes on `master` or an explicit manual trigger. It packages changed charts from `charts/`, updates the GitHub Pages repository on `gh-pages`, and publishes `artifacthub-repo.yml` next to `index.yaml` for Artifact Hub.
 
diff --git a/charts/readability-js-server/README.md b/charts/readability-js-server/README.md
index b43bd0e..2beeaaf 100644
--- a/charts/readability-js-server/README.md
+++ b/charts/readability-js-server/README.md
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ Chart and application versions are intentionally separate:
 
 When the chart changes without a new application release, only the chart `version` should move. When the default image tag changes, bump both the chart `version` and `appVersion`.
 
-Docker image publishing remains tag-driven from the root release workflow and follows `package.json`. Helm chart publishing is separate: pushes to `master` that change `charts/**`, plus explicit manual workflow runs, publish the chart repository to GitHub Pages.
+Docker image publishing remains tag-driven from the root release workflow and follows the git tag. Helm chart publishing is separate: pushes to `master` that change `charts/**`, plus explicit manual workflow runs, publish the chart repository to GitHub Pages.
 
 ## Hosted repository and Artifact Hub
 
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 86d671a..5d68e29 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@
   "packages": {
     "": {
       "name": "readability-js-server",
-      "version": "1.8.0",
       "license": "Apache-2.0",
       "dependencies": {
         "@mozilla/readability": "^0.6.0",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 0d265cc..77b559d 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 {
   "name": "readability-js-server",
-  "version": "1.8.0",
   "description": "Mozilla's Readability.js as a service",
   "author": "Luis Pabon @ phpdocker.io",
   "homepage": "https://github.com/phpdocker-io/readability-js-server",
diff --git a/src/server.js b/src/server.js
index 1410c7c..5daf982 100644
--- a/src/server.js
+++ b/src/server.js
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 const { loadConfig } = require("./config");
 const app = require("./app");
-const { version } = require("../package.json");
 
 const config = loadConfig();
 
@@ -18,7 +17,7 @@ function logError(message, error) {
 
 const shutdownTimeoutMs = 10_000;
 const server = app.listen(config.port, () => {
-  log(`Readability.js server v${version} listening on port ${config.port}!`);
+  log(`Readability.js server listening on port ${config.port}!`);
 });
 
 let isShuttingDown = false;