diff --git a/rust/release_crates/substitute_rust_release_version.bzl b/rust/release_crates/substitute_rust_release_version.bzl
index e0ea9ce5f8952..cfe2cc8ff5e88 100644
--- a/rust/release_crates/substitute_rust_release_version.bzl
+++ b/rust/release_crates/substitute_rust_release_version.bzl
@@ -2,10 +2,20 @@
 
 load("//:protobuf_version.bzl", "PROTOBUF_RUST_VERSION")
 
+def _get_minor_version(version_str):
+    parts = version_str.split(".")
+    if len(parts) < 2:
+        return 0
+    return int(parts[1])
+
+_minor_version = _get_minor_version(PROTOBUF_RUST_VERSION)
+
 # Temporarily append a -release suffix to non-RC versions until we consider the
 # release stable. Since "release" lexicographically comes after "rc", Cargo
 # will understand that 4.31.0-release is newer than all 4.31.0-rc.N releases.
-PROTOBUF_RUST_VERSION_SUFFIX = "-release" if PROTOBUF_RUST_VERSION.find("-rc") == -1 else ""
+# Remove the -release tag only if the minor version number is >= 36.
+_should_append_release = _minor_version < 36 and PROTOBUF_RUST_VERSION.find("-rc") == -1
+PROTOBUF_RUST_VERSION_SUFFIX = "-release" if _should_append_release else ""
 
 def substitute_rust_release_version(src, out, name = None):
     version = PROTOBUF_RUST_VERSION + PROTOBUF_RUST_VERSION_SUFFIX