diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 066e02deeb5..561696e2e0b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -123,11 +123,11 @@ jobs:
       - name: Run release (dry-run)
         if: ${{ inputs.dry_run }}
         # NOTE: This will print a warning that `cargo-release release crates` dry runs are not supported
-        run: cargo-release release crates --dry-run
+        run: cargo-release release crates ${{ github.event.inputs.release_tag }} --dry-run
 
       - name: Run release
         if: ${{ !inputs.dry_run }}
-        run: cargo-release release crates
+        run: cargo-release release crates ${{ github.event.inputs.release_tag }}
 
   release-csharp:
     needs: build-cargo-release
diff --git a/tools/release/README.md b/tools/release/README.md
index 103f7ed4c2e..03075d4abfa 100644
--- a/tools/release/README.md
+++ b/tools/release/README.md
@@ -49,15 +49,17 @@ Release the following packages to crates.io:
 - sdk
 
 ```bash
-cargo release crates
+cargo release crates v1.2.0
 ```
 
 You can also perform a dry run to see what would be published without actually publishing:
 
 ```bash
-cargo release crates --dry-run
+cargo release crates v1.2.0 --dry-run
 ```
 
+After each crate is published, the release waits for that crate version to become visible in the crates.io index before publishing dependent crates.
+
 ### NPM Package
 
 Release the TypeScript SDK to npm. This will:
diff --git a/tools/release/src/main.rs b/tools/release/src/main.rs
index 024b330d36c..00dd0065f01 100644
--- a/tools/release/src/main.rs
+++ b/tools/release/src/main.rs
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ struct ReleaseArgs {
 enum Commands {
     /// Release crates.io packages
     Crates {
+        release_version: String,
         #[arg(long)]
         dry_run: bool,
     },
@@ -82,8 +83,11 @@ fn main() {
     let CargoCli::Release(release_args) = cli.command;
 
     let result = match &release_args.command {
-        Commands::Crates { dry_run } => {
-            let target = CratesRelease::new(*dry_run);
+        Commands::Crates {
+            release_version: version,
+            dry_run,
+        } => {
+            let target = CratesRelease::new(version.clone(), *dry_run);
             target.release()
         }
         Commands::Csharp {
@@ -131,7 +135,7 @@ fn release_all(version: String, skip: Option<Vec<String>>, dry_run: bool) -> Res
     let skip_targets = skip.unwrap_or_default();
 
     let targets: Vec<Box<dyn ReleaseTarget>> = vec![
-        Box::new(CratesRelease::new(dry_run)),
+        Box::new(CratesRelease::new(version.clone(), dry_run)),
         Box::new(NpmRelease::new(version.clone(), dry_run)),
         Box::new(CSharpRelease::new(version.clone(), dry_run)),
         Box::new(CppRelease::new(version.clone(), dry_run)),
diff --git a/tools/release/src/targets/crates.rs b/tools/release/src/targets/crates.rs
index 758993f9b78..82fc3af0f83 100644
--- a/tools/release/src/targets/crates.rs
+++ b/tools/release/src/targets/crates.rs
@@ -3,16 +3,21 @@ use anyhow::Result;
 use std::collections::HashMap;
 use std::path::PathBuf;
 use std::process::Command;
+use std::thread;
+use std::time::{Duration, Instant};
 
 const CRATE_OWNERS: &[&str] = &["cloutiertyler", "jdetter", "bfops", "rekhoff", "spacetimedb-devops"];
+const CRATES_IO_POLL_INTERVAL: Duration = Duration::from_secs(15);
+const CRATES_IO_POLL_TIMEOUT: Duration = Duration::from_secs(15 * 60);
 
 pub struct CratesRelease {
+    pub version: String,
     pub dry_run: bool,
 }
 
 impl CratesRelease {
-    pub fn new(dry_run: bool) -> Self {
-        Self { dry_run }
+    pub fn new(version: String, dry_run: bool) -> Self {
+        Self { version, dry_run }
     }
 
     /// Publishes a single crate to crates.io
@@ -61,6 +66,50 @@ impl CratesRelease {
         ))
     }
 
+    fn wait_for_crate_available(&self, crate_name: &str, version: &str) -> Result<(), String> {
+        let spec = format!("{}@{}", crate_name, version);
+        let deadline = Instant::now() + CRATES_IO_POLL_TIMEOUT;
+        let mut attempt = 1;
+
+        println!(
+            "Waiting for {} to be visible in the crates.io index before publishing dependent crates...",
+            spec
+        );
+
+        loop {
+            let mut cmd = Command::new("cargo");
+            cmd.args(["info", &spec]);
+            util::print_command(&cmd);
+
+            let output = cmd
+                .output()
+                .map_err(|e| format!("Failed to execute cargo info {}: {}", spec, e))?;
+
+            if output.status.success() {
+                println!("{} is visible in the crates.io index.", spec);
+                return Ok(());
+            }
+
+            if Instant::now() >= deadline {
+                return Err(format!(
+                    "Timed out waiting for {} to become visible in the crates.io index\n--- stdout ---\n{}\n--- stderr ---\n{}",
+                    spec,
+                    String::from_utf8_lossy(&output.stdout),
+                    String::from_utf8_lossy(&output.stderr)
+                ));
+            }
+
+            println!(
+                "{} is not visible yet; retrying in {}s (attempt {}).",
+                spec,
+                CRATES_IO_POLL_INTERVAL.as_secs(),
+                attempt
+            );
+            attempt += 1;
+            thread::sleep(CRATES_IO_POLL_INTERVAL);
+        }
+    }
+
     fn add_crate_owners(&self, crate_name: &str) -> Result<(), String> {
         println!("Adding owners for crate: {}", crate_name);
 
@@ -126,8 +175,10 @@ impl ReleaseTarget for CratesRelease {
         }
 
         println!("\nStarting publish process...");
+        let crates_io_version = self.version.strip_prefix('v').unwrap_or(&self.version);
         for crate_name in &crates {
             self.publish_crate(crate_name, &manifest_map)?;
+            self.wait_for_crate_available(crate_name, crates_io_version)?;
             self.add_crate_owners(crate_name)?;
         }