"Call Me When You're Sober" had a limited radio release as the first single off "The Open Door" on July 31, 2006. This was followed by a wider release in the following week. Since the track leaked onto the Internet two days before its scheduled release to radio airplay, the band's record label Wind-up Records allowed radio stations to play the single ahead of schedule. Subsequently, the recording was made available for digital download on September 4, 2006, and a physical release as a single followed on September 25. Rumors began to surface that Wind-up was responsible for the track's selection as the album's first single, which Lee denied in a post on the band's then-active fansite Evboards.com: "Wind up didn't choose this single- I did, and I had to fight for it. I love this song. Also, they didn't change anything about it. This is the way we made it. We fought over the guitar part but eventually just got the mix right."