diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index aa2a8aa..6b6e411 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -94,7 +94,9 @@ To update the version follow these steps. Replace all instances of `[year].[majo
 
 ### Automatically do steps 2 to 12
 
-Run `./update-new-version.sh 2017.3 [year].[major].[minor]`
+Run `./update-new-version.sh "$new-version"`
+
+Where `$new-version` is in the format `[year].[major].[minor]`.
 
 ### Setting up the build environment
 
diff --git a/update-new-version.sh b/update-new-version.sh
index 43ef9d3..05a7b6d 100755
--- a/update-new-version.sh
+++ b/update-new-version.sh
@@ -6,8 +6,9 @@ PACKAGE="intellij-idea-community"
 DISTRIBUTION="disco"
 
 main() {
-    old="$1"
-    new="$2"
+    last_tag=$(git describe --tags)
+    old="${last_tag#?}"
+    new="$1"
     name="$(git config --get user.name)"
     email="$(git config --get user.email)"
 
@@ -36,4 +37,4 @@ main() {
     # sudo dpkg -i "$PACKAGE"_"$new"-1_all.deb
 }
 
-main "$1" "$2"
+main "$1"