diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 83b8098..c03fa2e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -48,7 +48,11 @@ Defaults:
 - `version-pattern`: `^\s*([^\r\n]+)\s*$`
 - `changelog`: `changelog.md`
 
-By default, `vociferate` reads and writes the release version as the sole content of a root-level `release-version` file. Repositories that keep the version inside source code should pass explicit `version-file` and `version-pattern` values.
+When no `--version-file` flag is provided, `vociferate` derives the current version from the most recent released section heading in the changelog (`## [x.y.z] - ...`). If no prior releases exist, it defaults to `0.0.0` and recommends `v1.0.0` as the first tag.
+
+When running `--version`, the `release-version` file is created automatically if it does not exist, so new repositories do not need to pre-seed it.
+
+Repositories that keep the version inside source code should pass explicit `--version-file` and `--version-pattern` values; in that case the version file is used directly instead of the changelog.
 
 ## Testing
 
diff --git a/changelog.md b/changelog.md
index 37e7e1d..d5cb758 100644
--- a/changelog.md
+++ b/changelog.md
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ A `### Breaking` section is used in addition to Keep a Changelog's standard sect
 
 ### Changed
 
+- Release version recommendation now reads the current version from the most recent released section in the changelog instead of requiring a separate version file. When no prior releases exist the version defaults to `0.0.0`, yielding `v1.0.0` as the first recommended tag.
+- `vociferate prepare` creates the `release-version` file if it does not already exist, removing the need to pre-seed it in new repositories.
 - Release automation is now split into a prepare workflow that updates and tags `main`, and a tag-driven publish workflow that creates the release from the tagged revision.
 - The CLI entrypoint, internal package paths, build outputs, and automation references now use the `vociferate` name instead of the earlier `releaseprep` naming.
 - Configurable version source and parser via `--version-file` and `--version-pattern`.
diff --git a/internal/vociferate/vociferate.go b/internal/vociferate/vociferate.go
index 446c427..2a5759f 100644
--- a/internal/vociferate/vociferate.go
+++ b/internal/vociferate/vociferate.go
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ const (
 	defaultChangelog   = "changelog.md"
 )
 
+var releasedSectionRe = regexp.MustCompile(`(?m)^## \[(\d+\.\d+\.\d+)\] - `)
+
 type Options struct {
 	VersionFile    string
 	VersionPattern string
@@ -66,9 +68,22 @@ func RecommendedTag(rootDir string, options Options) (string, error) {
 		return "", err
 	}
 
-	currentVersion, err := readCurrentVersion(rootDir, resolved)
-	if err != nil {
-		return "", err
+	var currentVersion string
+	if options.VersionFile != "" {
+		currentVersion, err = readCurrentVersion(rootDir, resolved)
+		if err != nil {
+			return "", err
+		}
+	} else {
+		version, found, err := readLatestChangelogVersion(rootDir, resolved.Changelog)
+		if err != nil {
+			return "", err
+		}
+		if !found {
+			currentVersion = "0.0.0"
+		} else {
+			currentVersion = version
+		}
 	}
 
 	unreleasedBody, err := readUnreleasedBody(rootDir, resolved.Changelog)
@@ -146,6 +161,9 @@ func updateVersionFile(rootDir, version string, options resolvedOptions) error {
 	path := filepath.Join(rootDir, options.VersionFile)
 	contents, err := os.ReadFile(path)
 	if err != nil {
+		if os.IsNotExist(err) {
+			return os.WriteFile(path, []byte(version+"\n"), 0o644)
+		}
 		return fmt.Errorf("read version file: %w", err)
 	}
 
@@ -244,6 +262,20 @@ func readChangelogState(rootDir, changelogPath string) (string, string, int, int
 	return unreleasedBody, text, afterHeader, nextSectionStart, path, nil
 }
 
+func readLatestChangelogVersion(rootDir, changelogPath string) (string, bool, error) {
+	path := filepath.Join(rootDir, changelogPath)
+	contents, err := os.ReadFile(path)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", false, fmt.Errorf("read changelog: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	match := releasedSectionRe.FindStringSubmatch(string(contents))
+	if match == nil {
+		return "", false, nil
+	}
+	return match[1], true, nil
+}
+
 func parseSemver(version string) (semver, error) {
 	parts := strings.Split(strings.TrimSpace(version), ".")
 	if len(parts) != 3 {
diff --git a/internal/vociferate/vociferate_test.go b/internal/vociferate/vociferate_test.go
index db94a98..760f39f 100644
--- a/internal/vociferate/vociferate_test.go
+++ b/internal/vociferate/vociferate_test.go
@@ -155,6 +155,52 @@ func (s *PrepareSuite) TestPrepare_AllowsUnchangedVersionValue() {
 	require.Equal(s.T(), "1.1.6\n", string(versionBytes))
 }
 
+func (s *PrepareSuite) TestRecommendedTag_UsesChangelogVersionWhenNoVersionFileConfigured() {
+	// The default release-version file is present from SetupTest but should be ignored;
+	// the current version must be read from the changelog, not the file.
+	require.NoError(s.T(), os.WriteFile(
+		filepath.Join(s.rootDir, "release-version"),
+		[]byte("99.99.99\n"), // deliberately wrong value
+		0o644,
+	))
+	require.NoError(s.T(), os.WriteFile(
+		filepath.Join(s.rootDir, "changelog.md"),
+		[]byte("# Changelog\n\n## [Unreleased]\n\n### Fixed\n\n- A fix.\n\n## [3.0.0] - 2026-01-01\n\n### Fixed\n\n- Historical.\n"),
+		0o644,
+	))
+
+	tag, err := vociferate.RecommendedTag(s.rootDir, vociferate.Options{})
+
+	require.NoError(s.T(), err)
+	require.Equal(s.T(), "v3.0.1", tag)
+}
+
+func (s *PrepareSuite) TestRecommendedTag_DefaultsToV1WhenNoPriorReleasesInChangelog() {
+	require.NoError(s.T(), os.Remove(filepath.Join(s.rootDir, "release-version")))
+	require.NoError(s.T(), os.WriteFile(
+		filepath.Join(s.rootDir, "changelog.md"),
+		[]byte("# Changelog\n\n## [Unreleased]\n\n### Breaking\n\n### Added\n\n- First feature.\n"),
+		0o644,
+	))
+
+	tag, err := vociferate.RecommendedTag(s.rootDir, vociferate.Options{})
+
+	require.NoError(s.T(), err)
+	require.Equal(s.T(), "v1.0.0", tag)
+}
+
+func (s *PrepareSuite) TestPrepare_CreatesVersionFileWhenNotPresent() {
+	require.NoError(s.T(), os.Remove(filepath.Join(s.rootDir, "release-version")))
+
+	err := vociferate.Prepare(s.rootDir, "2.0.0", "2026-03-20", vociferate.Options{})
+
+	require.NoError(s.T(), err)
+
+	versionBytes, readErr := os.ReadFile(filepath.Join(s.rootDir, "release-version"))
+	require.NoError(s.T(), readErr)
+	require.Equal(s.T(), "2.0.0\n", string(versionBytes))
+}
+
 func (s *PrepareSuite) TestRecommendedTag_UsesCustomVersionFileAndPattern() {
 	customVersionFile := filepath.Join("custom", "VERSION.txt")
 	require.NoError(s.T(), os.MkdirAll(filepath.Join(s.rootDir, "custom"), 0o755))