diff --git a/explorer/.env.dev b/explorer/.env.dev
index 38728db845..ccbd316a4a 100644
--- a/explorer/.env.dev
+++ b/explorer/.env.dev
@@ -25,3 +25,6 @@ MAX_BATCH_SIZE=268435456 # 256 MiB
 
 # Time we wait for a batch to be verified before marking it stale
 BATCH_TTL_MINUTES=5
+
+# Latest aligned release that operators should be running 
+LATEST_RELEASE=v0.13.0
diff --git a/explorer/.env.example b/explorer/.env.example
index b9a3a7a32a..0733157512 100644
--- a/explorer/.env.example
+++ b/explorer/.env.example
@@ -23,3 +23,6 @@ TRACKER_API_URL=<tracker_api_url>
 
 # Time we wait for a batch to be verified before marking it stale
 BATCH_TTL_MINUTES=5
+
+# Latest aligned release that operators should be running 
+LATEST_RELEASE=v0.13.0
diff --git a/explorer/lib/explorer_web/live/releases_helper.ex b/explorer/lib/explorer_web/live/releases_helper.ex
index 7a9a6db351..4f8a3eb7e7 100644
--- a/explorer/lib/explorer_web/live/releases_helper.ex
+++ b/explorer/lib/explorer_web/live/releases_helper.ex
@@ -2,39 +2,6 @@ defmodule ReleasesHelper do
   require Logger
 
   def get_latest_release do
-    case do_fetch_latest_release() do
-      {:ok, tag} ->
-        tag
-
-      {:error, reason} ->
-        Logger.error("Failed to fetch latest release: #{reason}")
-        nil
-    end
-  end
-
-  defp do_fetch_latest_release do
-    with :ok <- fetch_tags(),
-         {:ok, tag} <- get_latest_tag() do
-      {:ok, tag}
-    end
-  end
-
-  defp fetch_tags do
-    case System.cmd("git", ["fetch", "--tags"]) do
-      {_, 0} -> :ok
-      {error, _} -> {:error, "Failed to fetch tags: #{error}"}
-    end
-  end
-
-  defp get_latest_tag do
-    case System.cmd("git", ["rev-list", "--tags", "--max-count=1"]) do
-      {sha, 0} ->
-        sha = String.trim(sha)
-        case System.cmd("git", ["describe", "--tags", sha]) do
-          {tag, 0} -> {:ok, String.trim(tag)}
-          {_, _} -> {:error, "Failed to describe tag"}
-        end
-      {_, _} -> {:error, "No tags found or not a git repository"}
-    end
+    System.get_env("LATEST_RELEASE")
   end
 end
diff --git a/explorer/start.sh b/explorer/start.sh
index 1763d73149..dd49823a58 100755
--- a/explorer/start.sh
+++ b/explorer/start.sh
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ env_vars=(
   "TRACKER_API_URL"
   "MAX_BATCH_SIZE"
   "BATCH_TTL_MINUTES"
+  "LATEST_RELEASE"
 )
 
 for var in "${env_vars[@]}"; do