diff --git a/.circleci/config.yml b/.circleci/config.yml
index 7740e09865118bec4075117f3205e50b76ad87e7..5b79bd1c693d59b8e1d9aeaab347257b8f55c8bd 100644
--- a/.circleci/config.yml
+++ b/.circleci/config.yml
@@ -46,12 +46,12 @@ jobs:
          fi
   release:
     executor: publisher
-    environment:
-      PROJECT_USERNAME: $CIRCLE_PROJECT_USERNAME
-      PROJECT_REPONAME: $CIRCLE_PROJECT_REPONAME
     steps:
       - checkout
-      - run: create_release
+      - run: |
+          PROJECT_USERNAME="${CIRCLE_PROJECT_USERNAME}" \
+          PROJECT_REPONAME="${CIRCLE_PROJECT_REPONAME}" \
+          create_release
 
   galaxy:
     executor: python