diff --git a/scripts/release.pl b/scripts/release.pl
index 99959c8619d..3c349b4a3d2 100755
--- a/scripts/release.pl
+++ b/scripts/release.pl
@@ -164,8 +164,7 @@ run( "scripts/create_changelog.sh", "create_changelog.sh failed" );
 run( "perl -i -pe 's#<releases>#<releases>\n    <release version=\"$newmajor.$newminor.$newpatch\" date=\"" . strftime("%Y-%m-%d", localtime) . "\" />#' linux/org.qgis.qgis.appdata.xml.in", "appdata update failed" );
 
 unless( $dopoint ) {
-	my $v = ($doltr && ($major>3 || ($major==3 && $minor>=4))) ? "$newmajor.$newminor-LTR" : "$newmajor.$newminor";
-	run( "scripts/update-news.pl $v '$newreleasename'", "could not update news" ) if $major>2 || ($major==2 && $minor>14);
+	run( "scripts/update-news.pl $newmajor.$newminor '$newreleasename'", "could not update news" ) if $major>2 || ($major==2 && $minor>14);
 
 	run( "git commit -n -a -m \"changelog and news update for $release\"", "could not commit changelog and news update" );