diff --git a/distribution/asf-release-process-guide.md b/distribution/asf-release-process-guide.md
index 6762634511a6..be32e05799ac 100644
--- a/distribution/asf-release-process-guide.md
+++ b/distribution/asf-release-process-guide.md
@@ -39,7 +39,37 @@ $ git checkout origin/master
 $ git checkout -b 0.17.0
 ```
 
-Then push the branch to `origin`. 
+#### Preparing the release branch
+Ensure that the web console and docker-compose file are in the correct state in the release branch.
+
+[package.json](../web-console/package.json) and [package-lock.json](../web-console/package-lock.json) should match the release version. If they do not, run:
+
+```bash
+npm version 0.17.0
+```
+
+[unified-console.html](../web-console/unified-console.html), Javascript script tag must match the package.json version:
+
+```html
+<script src="public/web-console-0.17.0.js"></script>
+```
+
+[`links.ts`](../web-console/src/links.ts) needs to be adjusted from `'latest'` to the release version:
+```
+const DRUID_DOCS_VERSION = '0.17.0';
+```
+
+The sample [`docker-compose.yml`](https://github.com/apache/druid/blob/master/distribution/docker/docker-compose.yml) used in the Docker quickstart documentation should match the release version:
+
+```yaml
+...
+  coordinator:
+    image: apache/druid:0.17.0
+    container_name: coordinator
+...
+```
+
+Once everything is ready, then push the branch to `origin`. 
 
 #### Preparing the master branch for the next version after branching
 If doing a quarterly release, it will also be necessary to prepare master for the release _after_ the release you are working on, by setting the version to the next release snapshot:
@@ -53,12 +83,17 @@ You should also prepare the web-console for the next release, by bumping the [pa
 ```bash
 npm version 0.18.0
 ```
-and update the script tag top level html file, [unified-console.html](../web-console/unified-console.html):
+
+which will update `package.json` and `package-lock.json`.
+
+You will also need to manually update the top level html file, [unified-console.html](../web-console/unified-console.html), to ensure that the Javascript script tag is set to match the package.json version:
 
 ```html
 <script src="public/web-console-0.18.0.js"></script>
 ```
 
+[`DRUID_DOCS_VERSION` in `links.ts`](../web-console/src/links.ts) should already be set to `'latest'` in the master branch, and so should not have to be adjusted.
+
 The sample [`docker-compose.yml`](https://github.com/apache/druid/blob/master/distribution/docker/docker-compose.yml) used in the Docker quickstart documentation should be updated to reflect the version for the next release:
 
 ```yaml
@@ -69,8 +104,6 @@ The sample [`docker-compose.yml`](https://github.com/apache/druid/blob/master/di
 ...
 ```
 
-`DRUID_DOCS_VERSION` has to be changed to `0.17.0` in [`links.ts`](https://github.com/apache/druid/blob/master/web-console/src/links.ts).
-
 Once this is completed, open a PR to the master branch. Also, be sure to confirm that these versions are all correct in the release branch, otherwise fix them and open a backport PR to the release branch.
 
 #### Updating redirect links in the docs
@@ -220,21 +253,6 @@ Next create an issue in the Druid github to contain the release notes and allow
 
 The [make-linkable-release-notes](bin/make-linkable-release-notes.py) script can assist in converting plain markdown into a version with headers that have embedded self links, to allow directly linking to specific release note entries.
 
-## Web console package version
-Make sure the web console Javascript package version matches the upcoming release version prior to making tags and artifacts. You can find the release version in [package.json](../web-console/package.json). This should be set correctly, but if it isn't, it can be set with: 
-
-```bash
-npm version 0.17.0
-```
-
-which will update `package.json` and `package-lock.json`.
-
-You will also need to manually update the top level html file, [unified-console.html](../web-console/unified-console.html), to ensure that the Javascript script tag is set to match the package.json version.
-
-```html
-<script src="public/web-console-0.17.0.js"></script>
-```
-
 
 ## Building a release candidate