diff --git a/.github/workflows/android-ci.yml b/.github/workflows/android-ci.yml
index b49949223..7a0938ef4 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/android-ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/android-ci.yml
@@ -46,6 +46,8 @@ jobs:
       BUILDTYPE: Debug
       IS_LOCAL_DEVELOPMENT: false
       MLN_ANDROID_STL: c++_static
+    outputs:
+      make_release: ${{ steps.make_release.outputs.make_release }}
     steps:
       - name: Free Disk Space (Ubuntu)
         if: startsWith(runner.name, 'GitHub Actions')
@@ -200,6 +202,17 @@ jobs:
             platform/android/InstrumentationTestApp.apk
             platform/android/InstrumentationTests.apk
 
+      - name: VERSION file changed
+        id: version-file-android-changed
+        uses: tj-actions/changed-files@v46
+        with:
+          files: platform/android/VERSION
+
+      - name: Should make release?
+        id: make_release
+        if: github.ref == 'refs/heads/main' && github.event_name == 'push' && steps.version-file-android-changed.outputs.any_changed == 'true'
+        run: echo make_release=true >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+
   android-build-cpp-test:
     runs-on: ubuntu-24.04
 
@@ -328,5 +341,9 @@ jobs:
       - android-build-render-test
     steps:
       - name: Mark result as failed
-        if: needs.android-build.result != 'success'
+        if: needs.android-build.result != 'success' || needs.android-build-cpp-test.result != 'success' || needs.android-build-render-test.result != 'success'
         run: exit 1
+
+      - name: Trigger release
+        if: needs.android-build.outputs.make_release == 'true' && needs.android-build.result == 'success' && needs.android-build-cpp-test.result == 'success' && needs.android-build-render-test.result == 'success'
+        run: gh workflow run android-release.yml --ref ${{ github.sha }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/android-release.yml b/.github/workflows/android-release.yml
index 8b7784fe0..986384be8 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/android-release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/android-release.yml
@@ -42,17 +42,9 @@ jobs:
       - name: Android nitpick
         run: make run-android-nitpick
 
-      - name: Update version name
+      - name: Set version name
         run: |
-          RELEASE_VERSION="$( git describe --tags --match=android-v*.*.* --abbrev=0 | sed 's/^android-v//' )"
-          echo version="$RELEASE_VERSION" >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
-          echo "Latest version from tag: $RELEASE_VERSION"
-          if [ -n "$RELEASE_VERSION" ]; then
-            sed -i -e "s/^VERSION_NAME=.*/VERSION_NAME=${RELEASE_VERSION}/" MapLibreAndroid/gradle.properties
-            echo "MapLibreAndroid/gradle.properties:"
-            cat MapLibreAndroid/gradle.properties
-          fi
-        shell: bash
+          echo version="$(cat VERSION)" > "$GITHUB_ENV"
 
       - name: Build package
         run: |
@@ -68,7 +60,7 @@ jobs:
           RELEASE_NOTES_PATH="${PWD}/release_notes.txt"
           node scripts/release-notes.mjs > "${RELEASE_NOTES_PATH}"
           echo release_notes="${RELEASE_NOTES_PATH}" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
-          echo version_tag="$( git describe --tags --match=android-v*.*.* --abbrev=0 )" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+          echo version_tag=android-v${{ env.version }} >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
         shell: bash
 
       - name: Check if version is pre-release
@@ -83,6 +75,11 @@ jobs:
             echo "prerelease=true" >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
           fi
 
+      - name: Create tag
+        run: |
+          git tag -s -a android-v${{ env.version }} -m "Publish android-v${{ env.version }}" ${{ github.sha }}
+          git push origin android-v${{ env.version }}
+
       - name: Create release
         id: create_release
         uses: actions/create-release@v1
diff --git a/docs/mdbook/src/platforms/android/release.md b/docs/mdbook/src/platforms/android/release.md
index 3906115fe..39800a1d3 100644
--- a/docs/mdbook/src/platforms/android/release.md
+++ b/docs/mdbook/src/platforms/android/release.md
@@ -19,20 +19,6 @@ To make an Android release, do the following:
         ## 9.6.0
         ```
 
-    - Update `android/MapLibreAndroid/gradle.properties` with the new version.
+    - Update `android/VERSION` with the new version.
 
-2. Once the pull request updating the changelog is merged, tag the commit:
-
-    - Create a tag locally, with for example:
-      ```
-      git tag -a android-v9.6.0 -m "Release android-v9.6.0"
-      ```
-    - You need write access to push the tag, use for example:
-      ```
-      git push --atomic origin main android-v9.6.0
-      ```
-
-3. Once the tag is pushed, you can run the [`android-release.yml`](https://github.com/maplibre/maplibre-native/blob/main/.github/workflows/android-release.yml) workflow.
-
-    - Open the [android-release](https://github.com/maplibre/maplibre-native/actions/workflows/android-release.yml) workflow page.
-    - Press *Run workflow* and select the tag you pushed.
+2. Once the PR is merged, the [`android-release.yml`](https://github.com/maplibre/maplibre-native/blob/main/.github/workflows/android-release.yml) workflow will run automatically to make the release.
diff --git a/platform/android/CHANGELOG.md b/platform/android/CHANGELOG.md
index bd4dcadee..e83bd2f7b 100644
--- a/platform/android/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/platform/android/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,10 +1,15 @@
 # Changelog MapLibre Native for Android
 
+## 11.9.0-pre0
+
+Pre-release to test out the new [dynamic texture atlas](https://github.com/maplibre/maplibre-native/pull/3198). This should result in a memory reduction. Please [open an issue](https://github.com/maplibre/maplibre-native/issues) if you encounter any problems.
+
 ## 11.8.8
 
 ### ✨ Features and improvements
 
 - Update NDK to 28.1.13356709 ([#3450](https://github.com/maplibre/maplibre-native/pull/3450)).
+- Add support to range requests in AssetFileSource ([#3461](https://github.com/maplibre/maplibre-native/pull/3404)).
 
 ### 🐞 Bug fixes
 
diff --git a/platform/android/MapLibreAndroid/build.gradle.kts b/platform/android/MapLibreAndroid/build.gradle.kts
index b642cf50e..6cd320d4e 100644
--- a/platform/android/MapLibreAndroid/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/platform/android/MapLibreAndroid/build.gradle.kts
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ android {
         buildConfigField(
             "String",
             "MAPLIBRE_VERSION_STRING",
-            "\"MapLibre Native/${project.property("VERSION_NAME")}\""
+            "\"MapLibre Android/${project.extra["versionName"]}\""
         )
         consumerProguardFiles("proguard-rules.pro")
     }
diff --git a/platform/android/MapLibreAndroid/gradle.properties b/platform/android/MapLibreAndroid/gradle.properties
index 6c03dbe46..efa7f7574 100644
--- a/platform/android/MapLibreAndroid/gradle.properties
+++ b/platform/android/MapLibreAndroid/gradle.properties
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-VERSION_NAME=11.8.8
-
 # Only build native dependencies for the current ABI
 # See https://code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=221098#c20
 android.buildOnlyTargetAbi=true
diff --git a/platform/android/VERSION b/platform/android/VERSION
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..330c09652
--- /dev/null
+++ b/platform/android/VERSION
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+11.9.0-pre0
diff --git a/platform/android/buildSrc/src/main/kotlin/maplibre.artifact-settings.gradle.kts b/platform/android/buildSrc/src/main/kotlin/maplibre.artifact-settings.gradle.kts
index 20ef73459..33ca3b2c5 100644
--- a/platform/android/buildSrc/src/main/kotlin/maplibre.artifact-settings.gradle.kts
+++ b/platform/android/buildSrc/src/main/kotlin/maplibre.artifact-settings.gradle.kts
@@ -9,9 +9,11 @@ extra["mapLibreArtifactScmUrl"] = "scm:git@github.com:maplibre/maplibre-native.g
 extra["mapLibreArtifactLicenseName"] = "BSD"
 extra["mapLibreArtifactLicenseUrl"] = "https://opensource.org/licenses/BSD-2-Clause"
 
-// Handling conditional assignment for versionName
-extra["versionName"] = if (project.hasProperty("VERSION_NAME")) {
-    project.property("VERSION_NAME")
+val versionFilePath = rootDir.resolve("VERSION")
+val versionName = if (versionFilePath.exists()) {
+    versionFilePath.readText().trim()
 } else {
-    System.getenv("VERSION_NAME")
+    throw GradleException("VERSION file not found at ${versionFilePath.absolutePath}")
 }
+
+extra["versionName"] = versionName