diff --git a/RELEASE.md b/RELEASE.md
index 347c6b3a..517752c2 100644
--- a/RELEASE.md
+++ b/RELEASE.md
@@ -18,12 +18,11 @@ copied to `jasmine.js` when the distribution is built. When releasing a new
 version, update `package.json` with the new version and `npm run build` to
 update the gem version number.
 
-Note that Jasmine should only use the "patch" version number in the following cases:
+Note that Jasmine should only use the "patch" version number if the new release
+contains only bug fixes.
 
-* Changes related to packaging for a specific binding library (npm or browser-runner)
-* Fixes for regressions.
-
-When jasmine-core revs its major or minor version, the binding libraries should also rev to that version.
+When `jasmine-core` revs its major or minor version, the `jasmine` NPM package
+should also rev to that version.
 
 ## Release
 
@@ -61,20 +60,13 @@ for instructions.
 1. `rake release[${version}]` to copy the current edge docs to the new version
 1. Commit and push.
 
-### Release the binding libraries
+### Release the `jasmine` NPM package
 
-#### NPM
+See <https://github.com/jasmine/jasmine-npm/blob/main/RELEASE.md>.
 
-1. Create release notes using Anchorman as above
-1. In `package.json`, update both the package version and the jasmine-core dependency version
-1. Commit and push.
-1. Wait for Circle CI to go green again.
-1. `grunt release `. (Note: This will publish the package by running `npm publish`.)
+### Publish the GitHub release
 
-### Finally
-
-For each of the above GitHub repos:
 1. Visit the releases page and find the tag just published.
-1. Paste in a link to the correct release notes for this release. The link should reference the blob and tag correctly, and the markdown file for the notes.
-1. If it is a pre-release, mark it as such.
-1. For core, attach the standalone zipfile.
+2. Paste in a link to the correct release notes for this release.
+3. If it is a pre-release, mark it as such.
+4. Attach the standalone zipfile.
diff --git a/lib/jasmine-core/example/node_example/lib/jasmine_examples/Player.js b/lib/jasmine-core/example/node_example/lib/jasmine_examples/Player.js
index fe95f894..8a7bfbdc 100644
--- a/lib/jasmine-core/example/node_example/lib/jasmine_examples/Player.js
+++ b/lib/jasmine-core/example/node_example/lib/jasmine_examples/Player.js
@@ -1,24 +1,24 @@
-function Player() {
-}
-Player.prototype.play = function(song) {
-  this.currentlyPlayingSong = song;
-  this.isPlaying = true;
-};
-
-Player.prototype.pause = function() {
-  this.isPlaying = false;
-};
-
-Player.prototype.resume = function() {
-  if (this.isPlaying) {
-    throw new Error("song is already playing");
+class Player {
+  play(song) {
+    this.currentlyPlayingSong = song;
+    this.isPlaying = true;
   }
 
-  this.isPlaying = true;
-};
+  pause() {
+    this.isPlaying = false;
+  }
 
-Player.prototype.makeFavorite = function() {
-  this.currentlyPlayingSong.persistFavoriteStatus(true);
-};
+  resume() {
+    if (this.isPlaying) {
+      throw new Error('song is already playing');
+    }
+
+    this.isPlaying = true;
+  }
+
+  makeFavorite() {
+    this.currentlyPlayingSong.persistFavoriteStatus(true);
+  }
+}
 
 module.exports = Player;
diff --git a/lib/jasmine-core/example/node_example/lib/jasmine_examples/Song.js b/lib/jasmine-core/example/node_example/lib/jasmine_examples/Song.js
index 3415bb82..f2757786 100644
--- a/lib/jasmine-core/example/node_example/lib/jasmine_examples/Song.js
+++ b/lib/jasmine-core/example/node_example/lib/jasmine_examples/Song.js
@@ -1,9 +1,8 @@
-function Song() {
+class Song {
+  persistFavoriteStatus(value) {
+    // something complicated
+    throw new Error('not yet implemented');
+  }
 }
 
-Song.prototype.persistFavoriteStatus = function(value) {
-  // something complicated
-  throw new Error("not yet implemented");
-};
-
 module.exports = Song;
diff --git a/lib/jasmine-core/example/node_example/spec/helpers/jasmine_examples/SpecHelper.js b/lib/jasmine-core/example/node_example/spec/helpers/jasmine_examples/SpecHelper.js
index 578b3e86..cc04bd8d 100644
--- a/lib/jasmine-core/example/node_example/spec/helpers/jasmine_examples/SpecHelper.js
+++ b/lib/jasmine-core/example/node_example/spec/helpers/jasmine_examples/SpecHelper.js
@@ -3,11 +3,11 @@ beforeEach(function () {
     toBePlaying: function () {
       return {
         compare: function (actual, expected) {
-          var player = actual;
+          const player = actual;
 
           return {
             pass: player.currentlyPlayingSong === expected && player.isPlaying
-          }
+          };
         }
       };
     }
diff --git a/lib/jasmine-core/example/node_example/spec/jasmine_examples/PlayerSpec.js b/lib/jasmine-core/example/node_example/spec/jasmine_examples/PlayerSpec.js
index 80f149e3..fa96ccc4 100644
--- a/lib/jasmine-core/example/node_example/spec/jasmine_examples/PlayerSpec.js
+++ b/lib/jasmine-core/example/node_example/spec/jasmine_examples/PlayerSpec.js
@@ -1,36 +1,37 @@
-describe("Player", function() {
-  var Player = require('../../lib/jasmine_examples/Player');
-  var Song = require('../../lib/jasmine_examples/Song');
-  var player;
-  var song;
+const Player = require('../../lib/jasmine_examples/Player');
+const Song = require('../../lib/jasmine_examples/Song');
+
+describe('Player', function() {
+  let player;
+  let song;
 
   beforeEach(function() {
     player = new Player();
     song = new Song();
   });
 
-  it("should be able to play a Song", function() {
+  it('should be able to play a Song', function() {
     player.play(song);
     expect(player.currentlyPlayingSong).toEqual(song);
 
-    //demonstrates use of custom matcher
+    // demonstrates use of custom matcher
     expect(player).toBePlaying(song);
   });
 
-  describe("when song has been paused", function() {
+  describe('when song has been paused', function() {
     beforeEach(function() {
       player.play(song);
       player.pause();
     });
 
-    it("should indicate that the song is currently paused", function() {
+    it('should indicate that the song is currently paused', function() {
       expect(player.isPlaying).toBeFalsy();
 
       // demonstrates use of 'not' with a custom matcher
       expect(player).not.toBePlaying(song);
     });
 
-    it("should be possible to resume", function() {
+    it('should be possible to resume', function() {
       player.resume();
       expect(player.isPlaying).toBeTruthy();
       expect(player.currentlyPlayingSong).toEqual(song);
@@ -38,7 +39,7 @@ describe("Player", function() {
   });
 
   // demonstrates use of spies to intercept and test method calls
-  it("tells the current song if the user has made it a favorite", function() {
+  it('tells the current song if the user has made it a favorite', function() {
     spyOn(song, 'persistFavoriteStatus');
 
     player.play(song);
@@ -48,13 +49,13 @@ describe("Player", function() {
   });
 
   //demonstrates use of expected exceptions
-  describe("#resume", function() {
-    it("should throw an exception if song is already playing", function() {
+  describe('#resume', function() {
+    it('should throw an exception if song is already playing', function() {
       player.play(song);
 
       expect(function() {
         player.resume();
-      }).toThrowError("song is already playing");
+      }).toThrowError('song is already playing');
     });
   });
 });
diff --git a/lib/jasmine-core/example/spec/PlayerSpec.js b/lib/jasmine-core/example/spec/PlayerSpec.js
index f17521fd..9617c4f4 100644
--- a/lib/jasmine-core/example/spec/PlayerSpec.js
+++ b/lib/jasmine-core/example/spec/PlayerSpec.js
@@ -1,34 +1,34 @@
-describe("Player", function() {
-  var player;
-  var song;
+describe('Player', function() {
+  let player;
+  let song;
 
   beforeEach(function() {
     player = new Player();
     song = new Song();
   });
 
-  it("should be able to play a Song", function() {
+  it('should be able to play a Song', function() {
     player.play(song);
     expect(player.currentlyPlayingSong).toEqual(song);
 
-    //demonstrates use of custom matcher
+    // demonstrates use of custom matcher
     expect(player).toBePlaying(song);
   });
 
-  describe("when song has been paused", function() {
+  describe('when song has been paused', function() {
     beforeEach(function() {
       player.play(song);
       player.pause();
     });
 
-    it("should indicate that the song is currently paused", function() {
+    it('should indicate that the song is currently paused', function() {
       expect(player.isPlaying).toBeFalsy();
 
       // demonstrates use of 'not' with a custom matcher
       expect(player).not.toBePlaying(song);
     });
 
-    it("should be possible to resume", function() {
+    it('should be possible to resume', function() {
       player.resume();
       expect(player.isPlaying).toBeTruthy();
       expect(player.currentlyPlayingSong).toEqual(song);
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ describe("Player", function() {
   });
 
   // demonstrates use of spies to intercept and test method calls
-  it("tells the current song if the user has made it a favorite", function() {
+  it('tells the current song if the user has made it a favorite', function() {
     spyOn(song, 'persistFavoriteStatus');
 
     player.play(song);
@@ -46,13 +46,13 @@ describe("Player", function() {
   });
 
   //demonstrates use of expected exceptions
-  describe("#resume", function() {
-    it("should throw an exception if song is already playing", function() {
+  describe('#resume', function() {
+    it('should throw an exception if song is already playing', function() {
       player.play(song);
 
       expect(function() {
         player.resume();
-      }).toThrowError("song is already playing");
+      }).toThrowError('song is already playing');
     });
   });
 });
diff --git a/lib/jasmine-core/example/spec/SpecHelper.js b/lib/jasmine-core/example/spec/SpecHelper.js
index 126752d1..cc04bd8d 100644
--- a/lib/jasmine-core/example/spec/SpecHelper.js
+++ b/lib/jasmine-core/example/spec/SpecHelper.js
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ beforeEach(function () {
     toBePlaying: function () {
       return {
         compare: function (actual, expected) {
-          var player = actual;
+          const player = actual;
 
           return {
             pass: player.currentlyPlayingSong === expected && player.isPlaying
diff --git a/lib/jasmine-core/example/src/Player.js b/lib/jasmine-core/example/src/Player.js
index 11851966..f2fae6f7 100644
--- a/lib/jasmine-core/example/src/Player.js
+++ b/lib/jasmine-core/example/src/Player.js
@@ -1,22 +1,22 @@
-function Player() {
-}
-Player.prototype.play = function(song) {
-  this.currentlyPlayingSong = song;
-  this.isPlaying = true;
-};
-
-Player.prototype.pause = function() {
-  this.isPlaying = false;
-};
-
-Player.prototype.resume = function() {
-  if (this.isPlaying) {
-    throw new Error("song is already playing");
+class Player {
+  play(song) {
+    this.currentlyPlayingSong = song;
+    this.isPlaying = true;
   }
 
-  this.isPlaying = true;
-};
+  pause() {
+    this.isPlaying = false;
+  }
 
-Player.prototype.makeFavorite = function() {
-  this.currentlyPlayingSong.persistFavoriteStatus(true);
-};
+  resume() {
+    if (this.isPlaying) {
+      throw new Error('song is already playing');
+    }
+
+    this.isPlaying = true;
+  }
+
+  makeFavorite() {
+    this.currentlyPlayingSong.persistFavoriteStatus(true);
+  }
+}
diff --git a/lib/jasmine-core/example/src/Song.js b/lib/jasmine-core/example/src/Song.js
index 02527cb1..8914793b 100644
--- a/lib/jasmine-core/example/src/Song.js
+++ b/lib/jasmine-core/example/src/Song.js
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
-function Song() {
+class Song {
+  persistFavoriteStatus(value) {
+    // something complicated
+    throw new Error('not yet implemented');
+  }
 }
-
-Song.prototype.persistFavoriteStatus = function(value) {
-  // something complicated
-  throw new Error("not yet implemented");
-};
diff --git a/lib/jasmine-core/jasmine.js b/lib/jasmine-core/jasmine.js
index 2954f8b2..67cbd179 100644
--- a/lib/jasmine-core/jasmine.js
+++ b/lib/jasmine-core/jasmine.js
@@ -8454,7 +8454,7 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Runner = function(j$) {
 
       const order = new j$.Order({
         random: config.random,
-        seed: config.seed
+        seed: j$.isNumber_(config.seed) ? config.seed + '' : config.seed
       });
 
       const processor = new j$.TreeProcessor({
@@ -9904,11 +9904,6 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().SuiteBuilder = function(j$) {
         suite.exclude();
       }
       this.addSpecsToSuite_(suite, definitionFn);
-      if (suite.parentSuite && !suite.children.length) {
-        throw new Error(
-          `describe with no children (describe() or it()): ${suite.getFullName()}`
-        );
-      }
       return suite;
     }
 
@@ -10055,11 +10050,19 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().SuiteBuilder = function(j$) {
       const parentSuite = this.currentDeclarationSuite_;
       parentSuite.addChild(suite);
       this.currentDeclarationSuite_ = suite;
+      let threw = false;
 
       try {
         definitionFn();
       } catch (e) {
         suite.handleException(e);
+        threw = true;
+      }
+
+      if (suite.parentSuite && !suite.children.length && !threw) {
+        throw new Error(
+          `describe with no children (describe() or it()): ${suite.getFullName()}`
+        );
       }
 
       this.currentDeclarationSuite_ = parentSuite;
diff --git a/release_notes/4.4.0.md b/release_notes/4.4.0.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0674f02b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/release_notes/4.4.0.md
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+# Jasmine 4.4.0 Release Notes
+
+## Changes
+
+* Optimized the process of transitioning between specs in Node, Safari, and
+  Edge. This change reduces the run time of jasmine-core's own test suite by
+  50-70% in Node, about 20% in Edge, and 75-90% in Safari. Your results may
+  vary. In general, suites with many fast specs will see the greatest
+  performance improvement.
+
+* Removed old code to support browsers that don't provide 
+  addEventListener/removeEventListener.
+
+## Supported environments
+
+jasmine-core 4.4.0 has been tested in the following environments.
+
+| Environment       | Supported versions |
+|-------------------|--------------------|
+| Node              | 12.17+, 14, 16, 18 |
+| Safari            | 14-15              |
+| Chrome            | 105                |
+| Firefox           | 91, 102, 104       |
+| Edge              | 104                |
+
+------
+
+_Release Notes generated with _[Anchorman](http://github.com/infews/anchorman)_
diff --git a/spec/core/integration/EnvSpec.js b/spec/core/integration/EnvSpec.js
index cd5206a4..88fbbbb9 100644
--- a/spec/core/integration/EnvSpec.js
+++ b/spec/core/integration/EnvSpec.js
@@ -2026,6 +2026,29 @@ describe('Env integration', function() {
     expect(doneArg.order.seed).toEqual('123456');
   });
 
+  it('coerces the random seed to a string if it is a number', async function() {
+    const reporter = jasmine.createSpyObj('fakeReporter', [
+      'jasmineStarted',
+      'jasmineDone',
+      'suiteStarted',
+      'suiteDone',
+      'specStarted',
+      'specDone'
+    ]);
+    env.configure({ random: true, seed: 123456 });
+
+    env.addReporter(reporter);
+    env.configure({ random: true });
+    await env.execute();
+
+    expect(reporter.jasmineStarted).toHaveBeenCalled();
+    const startedArg = reporter.jasmineStarted.calls.argsFor(0)[0];
+    expect(startedArg.order.seed).toEqual('123456');
+
+    const doneArg = reporter.jasmineDone.calls.argsFor(0)[0];
+    expect(doneArg.order.seed).toEqual('123456');
+  });
+
   it('should report pending spec messages', async function() {
     const reporter = jasmine.createSpyObj('fakeReporter', ['specDone']);
 
@@ -3947,6 +3970,44 @@ describe('Env integration', function() {
     });
   });
 
+  it('reports a suite level error when a describe fn throws', async function() {
+    const reporter = jasmine.createSpyObj('reporter', ['suiteDone']);
+    env.addReporter(reporter);
+
+    env.describe('throws before defining specs', function() {
+      throw new Error('nope');
+    });
+
+    env.describe('throws after defining specs', function() {
+      env.it('is a spec');
+      throw new Error('nope');
+    });
+
+    await env.execute();
+
+    expect(reporter.suiteDone).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      jasmine.objectContaining({
+        fullName: 'throws after defining specs',
+        failedExpectations: [
+          jasmine.objectContaining({
+            message: jasmine.stringContaining('Error: nope')
+          })
+        ]
+      })
+    );
+
+    expect(reporter.suiteDone).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      jasmine.objectContaining({
+        fullName: 'throws after defining specs',
+        failedExpectations: [
+          jasmine.objectContaining({
+            message: jasmine.stringContaining('Error: nope')
+          })
+        ]
+      })
+    );
+  });
+
   function browserEventMethods() {
     return {
       addEventListener() {},
diff --git a/src/core/Runner.js b/src/core/Runner.js
index 55ad10cf..c01bcf16 100644
--- a/src/core/Runner.js
+++ b/src/core/Runner.js
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Runner = function(j$) {
 
       const order = new j$.Order({
         random: config.random,
-        seed: config.seed
+        seed: j$.isNumber_(config.seed) ? config.seed + '' : config.seed
       });
 
       const processor = new j$.TreeProcessor({
diff --git a/src/core/SuiteBuilder.js b/src/core/SuiteBuilder.js
index 1115e7a8..50ed5c7d 100644
--- a/src/core/SuiteBuilder.js
+++ b/src/core/SuiteBuilder.js
@@ -38,11 +38,6 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().SuiteBuilder = function(j$) {
         suite.exclude();
       }
       this.addSpecsToSuite_(suite, definitionFn);
-      if (suite.parentSuite && !suite.children.length) {
-        throw new Error(
-          `describe with no children (describe() or it()): ${suite.getFullName()}`
-        );
-      }
       return suite;
     }
 
@@ -189,11 +184,19 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().SuiteBuilder = function(j$) {
       const parentSuite = this.currentDeclarationSuite_;
       parentSuite.addChild(suite);
       this.currentDeclarationSuite_ = suite;
+      let threw = false;
 
       try {
         definitionFn();
       } catch (e) {
         suite.handleException(e);
+        threw = true;
+      }
+
+      if (suite.parentSuite && !suite.children.length && !threw) {
+        throw new Error(
+          `describe with no children (describe() or it()): ${suite.getFullName()}`
+        );
       }
 
       this.currentDeclarationSuite_ = parentSuite;