diff --git a/scripts/release/build-release-locally-commands/add-build-info-json.js b/scripts/release/build-release-locally-commands/add-build-info-json.js
index 10ff6df371fec..5bae291953512 100644
--- a/scripts/release/build-release-locally-commands/add-build-info-json.js
+++ b/scripts/release/build-release-locally-commands/add-build-info-json.js
@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@ const {getPublicPackages, logPromise} = require('../utils');
 const theme = require('../theme');
 
 const run = async ({branch, checksum, commit, reactVersion, tempDirectory}) => {
-  const packages = getPublicPackages(join(tempDirectory, 'packages'));
+  const isExperimental = reactVersion.includes('experimental');
+  const packages = getPublicPackages(isExperimental);
   const packagesDir = join(tempDirectory, 'packages');
 
   const buildInfoJSON = {
diff --git a/scripts/release/ci-add-build-info-json.js b/scripts/release/ci-add-build-info-json.js
index de20e6e2aaa3d..92af86946af7d 100755
--- a/scripts/release/ci-add-build-info-json.js
+++ b/scripts/release/ci-add-build-info-json.js
@@ -27,7 +27,8 @@ const run = async () => {
     reactVersion,
   } = await getBuildInfo();
 
-  const packages = getPublicPackages(join(cwd, 'packages'));
+  const isExperimental = process.env.RELEASE_CHANNEL === 'experimental';
+  const packages = getPublicPackages(isExperimental);
   const packagesDir = join(cwd, 'packages');
 
   const buildInfoJSON = {
diff --git a/scripts/release/download-experimental-build.js b/scripts/release/download-experimental-build.js
index 2df0459b0df71..97ba2d1bc32af 100755
--- a/scripts/release/download-experimental-build.js
+++ b/scripts/release/download-experimental-build.js
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ const run = async () => {
   try {
     const params = parseParams();
     params.cwd = join(__dirname, '..', '..');
-    params.packages = await getPublicPackages();
+    params.packages = await getPublicPackages(true);
 
     if (!params.build) {
       params.build = await getLatestMasterBuildNumber(true);
diff --git a/scripts/release/prepare-release-from-ci.js b/scripts/release/prepare-release-from-ci.js
index 202054564bb50..f7222ba8ca8a0 100755
--- a/scripts/release/prepare-release-from-ci.js
+++ b/scripts/release/prepare-release-from-ci.js
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 'use strict';
 
 const {join} = require('path');
+const {readJsonSync} = require('fs-extra');
 const {getPublicPackages, handleError} = require('./utils');
 
 const checkEnvironmentVariables = require('./shared-commands/check-environment-variables');
@@ -17,7 +18,6 @@ const run = async () => {
   try {
     const params = parseParams();
     params.cwd = join(__dirname, '..', '..');
-    params.packages = await getPublicPackages();
 
     if (!params.build) {
       params.build = await getLatestMasterBuildNumber(false);
@@ -26,6 +26,11 @@ const run = async () => {
     await checkEnvironmentVariables(params);
     await downloadBuildArtifacts(params);
 
+    const version = readJsonSync('./build/node_modules/react/package.json')
+      .version;
+    const isExperimental = version.includes('experimental');
+    params.packages = await getPublicPackages(isExperimental);
+
     if (!params.skipTests) {
       await testPackagingFixture(params);
       await testTracingFixture(params);
diff --git a/scripts/release/prepare-release-from-npm.js b/scripts/release/prepare-release-from-npm.js
index 46a14d9b10692..0b0261b685516 100755
--- a/scripts/release/prepare-release-from-npm.js
+++ b/scripts/release/prepare-release-from-npm.js
@@ -20,18 +20,21 @@ const run = async () => {
   try {
     const params = parseParams();
     params.cwd = join(__dirname, '..', '..');
-    params.packages = await getPublicPackages();
 
-    // Map of package name to upcoming stable version.
-    // This Map is initially populated with guesses based on local versions.
-    // The developer running the release later confirms or overrides each version.
-    const versionsMap = new Map();
+    const isExperimental = params.version.includes('experimental');
 
     if (!params.version) {
       params.version = await getLatestNextVersion();
     }
 
-    if (params.version.includes('experimental')) {
+    params.packages = await getPublicPackages(isExperimental);
+
+    // Map of package name to upcoming stable version.
+    // This Map is initially populated with guesses based on local versions.
+    // The developer running the release later confirms or overrides each version.
+    const versionsMap = new Map();
+
+    if (isExperimental) {
       console.error(
         theme.error`Cannot promote an experimental build to stable.`
       );
diff --git a/scripts/release/publish.js b/scripts/release/publish.js
index 7df86c7b5019a..e51df5c45f8ab 100755
--- a/scripts/release/publish.js
+++ b/scripts/release/publish.js
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 'use strict';
 
 const {join} = require('path');
+const {readJsonSync} = require('fs-extra');
 const {getPublicPackages, handleError} = require('./utils');
 const theme = require('./theme');
 
@@ -20,8 +21,13 @@ const validateSkipPackages = require('./publish-commands/validate-skip-packages'
 const run = async () => {
   try {
     const params = parseParams();
+
+    const version = readJsonSync('./build/node_modules/react/package.json')
+      .version;
+    const isExperimental = version.includes('experimental');
+
     params.cwd = join(__dirname, '..', '..');
-    params.packages = await getPublicPackages();
+    params.packages = await getPublicPackages(isExperimental);
 
     // Pre-filter any skipped packages to simplify the following commands.
     // As part of doing this we can also validate that none of the skipped packages were misspelled.
diff --git a/scripts/release/utils.js b/scripts/release/utils.js
index cb0873d1c77f0..c86f9c886a534 100644
--- a/scripts/release/utils.js
+++ b/scripts/release/utils.js
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 const {exec} = require('child-process-promise');
 const {createPatch} = require('diff');
 const {hashElement} = require('folder-hash');
-const {readdirSync, readFileSync, statSync, writeFileSync} = require('fs');
+const {readFileSync, writeFileSync} = require('fs');
 const {readJson, writeJson} = require('fs-extra');
 const http = require('request-promise-json');
 const logUpdate = require('log-update');
@@ -12,14 +12,6 @@ const createLogger = require('progress-estimator');
 const prompt = require('prompt-promise');
 const theme = require('./theme');
 
-// The following packages are published to NPM but not by this script.
-// They are released through a separate process.
-const RELEASE_SCRIPT_PACKAGE_SKIPLIST = [
-  'react-devtools',
-  'react-devtools-core',
-  'react-devtools-inline',
-];
-
 // https://www.npmjs.com/package/progress-estimator#configuration
 const logger = createLogger({
   storagePath: join(__dirname, '.progress-estimator'),
@@ -112,31 +104,38 @@ const getChecksumForCurrentRevision = async cwd => {
   return hashedPackages.hash.slice(0, 7);
 };
 
-const getPublicPackages = () => {
-  const packagesRoot = join(__dirname, '..', '..', 'packages');
-
-  return readdirSync(packagesRoot).filter(dir => {
-    if (RELEASE_SCRIPT_PACKAGE_SKIPLIST.includes(dir)) {
-      return false;
-    }
-
-    const packagePath = join(packagesRoot, dir, 'package.json');
-
-    if (dir.charAt(0) !== '.') {
-      let stat;
-      try {
-        stat = statSync(packagePath);
-      } catch (err) {
-        return false;
-      }
-      if (stat.isFile()) {
-        const packageJSON = JSON.parse(readFileSync(packagePath));
-        return packageJSON.private !== true;
-      }
-    }
-
-    return false;
-  });
+const getPublicPackages = isExperimental => {
+  if (isExperimental) {
+    return [
+      'create-subscription',
+      'eslint-plugin-react-hooks',
+      'jest-react',
+      'react',
+      'react-art',
+      'react-dom',
+      'react-is',
+      'react-reconciler',
+      'react-refresh',
+      'react-test-renderer',
+      'use-subscription',
+      'scheduler',
+    ];
+  } else {
+    return [
+      'create-subscription',
+      'eslint-plugin-react-hooks',
+      'jest-react',
+      'react',
+      'react-art',
+      'react-dom',
+      'react-is',
+      'react-reconciler',
+      'react-refresh',
+      'react-test-renderer',
+      'use-subscription',
+      'scheduler',
+    ];
+  }
 };
 
 const handleError = error => {
@@ -199,7 +198,8 @@ const splitCommaParams = array => {
 // It is based on the version of React in the local package.json (e.g. 16.12.0-01974a867).
 // Both numbers will be replaced if the "next" release is promoted to a stable release.
 const updateVersionsForNext = async (cwd, reactVersion, version) => {
-  const packages = getPublicPackages(join(cwd, 'packages'));
+  const isExperimental = reactVersion.includes('experimental');
+  const packages = getPublicPackages(isExperimental);
   const packagesDir = join(cwd, 'packages');
 
   // Update the shared React version source file.