diff --git a/fastlane/Fastfile b/fastlane/Fastfile
index 5a4eda7..2dac09f 100644
--- a/fastlane/Fastfile
+++ b/fastlane/Fastfile
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ platform :mac do
     sh "cd .. && github_changelog_generator -t $GITHUB_TOKEN && subl CHANGELOG.md"
 
     # assume version from the podspec
-    version = JSON.parse(sh "cd .. && pod spec cat *.podspec")['source']['tag']
+    version = read_cocoapod_spec['source']['tag']
 
     # ask for info
     title = prompt(text: 'Release Title: ')
@@ -74,8 +74,6 @@ platform :mac do
 
   end
 
-  #TODO: create a lane for releasing a new podspec
-
   after_all do |lane|    
 
     if lane == :postbuild
diff --git a/fastlane/actions/read_cocoapod_spec.rb b/fastlane/actions/read_cocoapod_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cd6b4ad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/fastlane/actions/read_cocoapod_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+module Fastlane
+  module Actions
+    module SharedValues
+      READ_COCOAPOD_SPEC_JSON = :READ_COCOAPOD_SPEC_JSON
+    end
+
+    class ReadCocoapodSpecAction < Action
+      def self.run(params)
+        path = params[:path] || Dir['*.podspec*'].first
+
+        # will fail if cocoapods is not installed
+        require 'cocoapods-core'
+        spec = Pod::Spec.from_file(path).to_hash
+
+        Helper.log.info "Reading podspec from file #{path}".green
+
+        Actions.lane_context[SharedValues::READ_COCOAPOD_SPEC_JSON] = spec
+        return spec
+      end
+
+      #####################################################
+      # @!group Documentation
+      #####################################################
+
+      def self.description
+        "Loads a CocoaPods spec as JSON"
+      end
+
+      def self.details
+        [
+          "This can be used for only specifying a version string in your podspec",
+          "- and during your release process you'd read it from the podspec by running",
+          "`version = read_cocoapod_spec['version']` at the beginning of your lane"
+          ].join("\n")
+      end
+
+      def self.available_options
+        [
+          FastlaneCore::ConfigItem.new(key: :path,
+                                       env_name: "FL_READ_COCOAPOD_SPEC_PATH",
+                                       description: "(Optional) Path to the podspec to be read",
+                                       optional: true,
+                                       verify_block: proc do |value|
+                                          raise "File #{value} not found".red unless File.exists?(spec_path)
+                                       end)
+        ]
+      end
+
+      def self.output
+        [
+          ['READ_COCOAPOD_SPEC_JSON', 'Podspec JSON payload']
+        ]
+      end
+
+      def self.authors
+        ["czechboy0"]
+      end
+
+      def self.is_supported?(platform)
+        true
+      end
+    end
+  end
+end
\ No newline at end of file