diff --git a/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/~release-checklist.md b/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/~release-checklist.md
index 36a7426c85..037862eef5 100644
--- a/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/~release-checklist.md
+++ b/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/~release-checklist.md
@@ -7,17 +7,17 @@ about: Checklist for core developers to complete as part of making a release
 
 ## Before Release
 
+* [ ] Update the checklist Issue template in the [``.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE``](https://github.com/scikit-hep/pyhf/tree/main/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE) directory if there are revisions.
 * [ ] Migrate any unresolved Issues or PRs from the [release GitHub project board](https://github.com/scikit-hep/pyhf/projects/) to a new project board.
 * [ ] Verify that there is a release notes file for the release under [``docs/release-notes``](https://github.com/scikit-hep/pyhf/tree/main/docs/release-notes).
 * [ ] Verify that the release notes files correctly summarize all development changes since the last release.
-* [ ] Update the checklist Issue template in the [``.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE``](https://github.com/scikit-hep/pyhf/tree/main/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE) directory if there are revisions.
 * [ ] Add any new use citations or published statistical models to the [Use and Citations page][citations_page].
 * [ ] Verify that the citations on the [Use and Citations page][citations_page] are up to date with their current [INSPIRE](https://inspirehep.net/) record. Checking the [Dimensions listing of publication citations](https://app.dimensions.ai/discover/publication?or_subset_publication_citations=pub.1135154020) can be helpful to catch citations that are now journal publications.
 * [ ] Update the ``codemeta.json`` file in the release PR if its requirements have updated.
 * [ ] Update the [pypa/gh-action-pypi-publish](https://github.com/pypa/gh-action-pypi-publish) GitHub Action used for deployment to TestPyPI and PyPI to the latest stable release.
 * [ ] Make a release to [TestPyPI][TestPyPI_pyhf] using the [workflow dispatch event trigger](https://github.com/scikit-hep/pyhf/actions/workflows/publish-package.yml).
 * [ ] Verify that the project README is displaying correctly on [TestPyPI][TestPyPI_pyhf].
-* [ ] Draft email to [``pyhf-announcements`` mailing list](https://groups.google.com/group/pyhf-announcements/subscribe) that summarizes the main points of the release notes and circulate it for development team approval.
+* [ ] Draft email to [``pyhf-announcements`` mailing list](https://groups.google.com/group/pyhf-announcements/) that summarizes the main points of the release notes and circulate it for development team approval.
 
 [TestPyPI_pyhf]: https://test.pypi.org/project/pyhf/
 [citations_page]: https://scikit-hep.org/pyhf/citations.html
@@ -48,14 +48,15 @@ For a video walkthrough consult the [``pyhf`` ``v0.7.1`` release recording](http
    - [ ] Verify that the new release archive metadata on Zenodo matches is being picked up as expected from [`CITATION.cff`](https://github.com/scikit-hep/pyhf/blob/main/CITATION.cff).
 * [ ] Verify that a Binder has properly built for the new release.
 * [ ] Watch for a GitHub notification that there is an automatic PR to the [Conda-forge feedstock](https://github.com/conda-forge/pyhf-feedstock). This may take multiple hours to happen. If there are any changes needed to the Conda-forge release make them **from a personal account** and not from an organization account to have workflows properly trigger.
-   - [ ] Check if any requirements need to be updated by commenting "@conda-grayskull show requirements" on the PR.
    - [ ] Verify the requirements in the [Conda-forge feedstock](https://github.com/conda-forge/pyhf-feedstock) recipe `meta.yaml` match those in `pyproject.toml`.
 
 ## After Release
 
 * [ ] Verify that the release is installable from both [PyPI](https://pypi.org/project/pyhf/) and [Conda-forge](https://github.com/conda-forge/pyhf-feedstock).
-* [ ] Send the drafted ``pyhf-announcements`` email out from the ``pyhf-announcements`` account email.
+* [ ] Send the drafted [``pyhf-announcements``](https://groups.google.com/group/pyhf-announcements/) email out from the ``pyhf-announcements`` account email.
 * [ ] Tweet the release out on both personal and team Twitter accounts.
+* [ ] Forward port the release notes and bumpversion information from the release branch to the default branch.
+   - c.f. PR https://github.com/scikit-hep/pyhf/pull/2217 and PR https://github.com/scikit-hep/pyhf/pull/2218 as examples from `pyhf` `v0.7.2`.
 * [ ] Announce the release on the [Scikit-HEP community Gitter](https://gitter.im/Scikit-HEP/community).
 * [ ] Make a release for the [`pyhf` tutorial](https://github.com/pyhf/pyhf-tutorial/releases) corresponding to the **previous release** number. This release represents the last version of the tutorial that is guaranteed to work with previous release API.
 * [ ] Update the [tutorial](https://github.com/pyhf/pyhf-tutorial) to use the new release number and API.