diff --git a/.gcp/release-docker.yaml b/.gcp/release-docker.yaml
index 548e3cd38f..27dd032919 100644
--- a/.gcp/release-docker.yaml
+++ b/.gcp/release-docker.yaml
@@ -44,8 +44,17 @@ steps:
     args:
       - -c
       - |
-        export GEMINI_SANDBOX_IMAGE_TAG=$(cat /workspace/image_tag.txt)
-        echo "Using Docker image tag for build: $GEMINI_SANDBOX_IMAGE_TAG"
+        export GEMINI_SANDBOX_IMAGE_TAG="$SHORT_SHA" # Default to SHA
+        if [[ "$TAG_NAME" == *"-nightly"* ]]; then
+          echo "Nightly release detected."
+          export GEMINI_SANDBOX_IMAGE_TAG="${TAG_NAME#v}"
+        elif [[ "$TAG_NAME" =~ ^v[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+$ ]]; then
+          echo "Official release detected."
+          export GEMINI_SANDBOX_IMAGE_TAG="${TAG_NAME#v}"
+        else
+          echo "Development/RC release detected. Using commit SHA as tag."
+        fi
+        echo "Using Docker image tag: $GEMINI_SANDBOX_IMAGE_TAG"
         npm run build:sandbox:fast
     env:
       - 'GEMINI_SANDBOX=$_CONTAINER_TOOL'
@@ -57,8 +66,17 @@ steps:
     args:
       - -c
       - |
-        export GEMINI_SANDBOX_IMAGE_TAG=$(cat /workspace/image_tag.txt)
-        echo "Using Docker image tag for publish: $GEMINI_SANDBOX_IMAGE_TAG"
+        export GEMINI_SANDBOX_IMAGE_TAG="$SHORT_SHA" # Default to SHA
+        if [[ "$TAG_NAME" == *"-nightly"* ]]; then
+          echo "Nightly release detected."
+          export GEMINI_SANDBOX_IMAGE_TAG="${TAG_NAME#v}"
+        elif [[ "$TAG_NAME" =~ ^v[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+$ ]]; then
+          echo "Official release detected."
+          export GEMINI_SANDBOX_IMAGE_TAG="${TAG_NAME#v}"
+        else
+          echo "Development/RC release detected. Using commit SHA as tag."
+        fi
+        echo "Using Docker image tag: $GEMINI_SANDBOX_IMAGE_TAG"
         npm run publish:sandbox
     env:
       - 'GEMINI_SANDBOX=$_CONTAINER_TOOL'
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index d32df5d75e..22c65f4f38 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -106,6 +106,14 @@ jobs:
           npm pkg set version=${{ steps.version.outputs.RELEASE_VERSION }} --workspace=@google/gemini-cli-core
           npm install
 
+      - name: Set package versions for nightly release
+        if: steps.version.outputs.NPM_TAG == 'nightly'
+        run: |
+          npm pkg set version=${{ steps.version.outputs.RELEASE_VERSION }}
+          npm pkg set version=${{ steps.version.outputs.RELEASE_VERSION }} --workspace=@google/gemini-cli
+          npm pkg set version=${{ steps.version.outputs.RELEASE_VERSION }} --workspace=@google/gemini-cli-core
+          npm install
+
       - name: Commit package versions
         id: commit_step
         run: |
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 5433f17a7d..13ff9184c8 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@
     "publish:release": "npm run prepare:package && npm run build:packages && npm run build:sandbox:fast && npm run publish:sandbox && npm run publish:npm",
     "prepublishOnly": "node scripts/check-versions.js && node scripts/prepublish.js",
     "release:version": "node scripts/version.js",
-    "tag:release:nightly": "TAG_NAME=\"v$(node -p \"require('./package.json').version\")+nightly.$(date -u +%d%m%y).$(git rev-parse --short HEAD)\"; git tag -a $TAG_NAME -m '' && git push origin $TAG_NAME",
+    "tag:release:nightly": "TAG_NAME=\"v$(node -p \"require('./package.json').version\")-nightly.$(date -u +%Y%m%d).$(git rev-parse --short HEAD)\"; git tag -a $TAG_NAME -m '' && git push origin $TAG_NAME",
     "check:versions": "node scripts/check-versions.js",
     "publish:actions-release": "npm run prepare:package && npm run build:packages && npm run publish:npm"
   },