diff --git a/pr-checks/update-release-branch.ts b/pr-checks/update-release-branch.ts
index 501f9596f..d6cc7670a 100755
--- a/pr-checks/update-release-branch.ts
+++ b/pr-checks/update-release-branch.ts
@@ -19,12 +19,12 @@
  */
 
 import { execFileSync, type ExecFileSyncOptions } from "node:child_process";
-import * as fs from "node:fs";
 import { parseArgs } from "node:util";
 
 import { type ApiClient, getApiClient } from "./api-client";
 import * as changelog from "./changelog";
-import { DryRunOption, PACKAGE_JSON, REPO_ROOT } from "./config";
+import { DryRunOption, REPO_ROOT } from "./config";
+import { getCurrentVersion, replaceVersionInPackageJson } from "./versions";
 
 /**
  * NB: This exact commit message is used to find commits for reverting during backports.
@@ -145,47 +145,6 @@ export function branchExistsOnRemote(branchName: string): boolean {
   return result !== "";
 }
 
-/** Reads the current version from `package.json`. */
-export function getCurrentVersion(): string | undefined {
-  const pkg: { version: string } = JSON.parse(
-    fs.readFileSync(PACKAGE_JSON, "utf8"),
-  );
-  return pkg.version;
-}
-
-/**
- * Replaces the version in `package.json` textually. Only updates the version
- * field that immediately follows the `"name": "codeql"` line.
- * `npm version` doesn't always work because of merge conflicts, so we
- * replace the version in package.json textually.
- */
-export function replaceVersionInPackageJson(
-  options: DryRunOption,
-  prevVersion: string,
-  newVersion: string,
-): void {
-  const lines = fs.readFileSync(PACKAGE_JSON, "utf8").split("\n");
-  let prevLineIsCodeql = false;
-  const output: string[] = [];
-
-  for (const line of lines) {
-    if (prevLineIsCodeql && line.includes(`"version": "${prevVersion}"`)) {
-      output.push(line.replace(prevVersion, newVersion));
-    } else {
-      output.push(line);
-    }
-    prevLineIsCodeql = line.includes('"name": "codeql",');
-  }
-
-  if (!options.dryRun) {
-    fs.writeFileSync(PACKAGE_JSON, `${output.join("\n")}\n`, "utf8");
-  } else {
-    console.info(
-      `[DRY RUN] Would have replaced '${prevVersion}' with '${newVersion}' in package.json`,
-    );
-  }
-}
-
 /** Represents commits returned by the GitHub API (relevant fields only). */
 export interface GitHubCommit {
   sha: string;
diff --git a/pr-checks/versions.ts b/pr-checks/versions.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..359868350
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pr-checks/versions.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+import * as fs from "node:fs";
+
+import { DryRunOption, PACKAGE_JSON } from "./config";
+
+/** Reads the current version from `package.json`. */
+export function getCurrentVersion(): string | undefined {
+  const pkg: { version: string } = JSON.parse(
+    fs.readFileSync(PACKAGE_JSON, "utf8"),
+  );
+  return pkg.version;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Replaces the version in `package.json` textually. Only updates the version
+ * field that immediately follows the `"name": "codeql"` line.
+ * `npm version` doesn't always work because of merge conflicts, so we
+ * replace the version in package.json textually.
+ */
+export function replaceVersionInPackageJson(
+  options: DryRunOption,
+  prevVersion: string,
+  newVersion: string,
+): void {
+  const lines = fs.readFileSync(PACKAGE_JSON, "utf8").split("\n");
+  let prevLineIsCodeql = false;
+  const output: string[] = [];
+
+  for (const line of lines) {
+    if (prevLineIsCodeql && line.includes(`"version": "${prevVersion}"`)) {
+      output.push(line.replace(prevVersion, newVersion));
+    } else {
+      output.push(line);
+    }
+    prevLineIsCodeql = line.includes('"name": "codeql",');
+  }
+
+  if (!options.dryRun) {
+    fs.writeFileSync(PACKAGE_JSON, `${output.join("\n")}\n`, "utf8");
+  } else {
+    console.info(
+      `[DRY RUN] Would have replaced '${prevVersion}' with '${newVersion}' in package.json`,
+    );
+  }
+}