diff --git a/.github/workflows/pre-release.yml b/.github/workflows/pre-release.yml
index 688cd2a7..87b91449 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pre-release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pre-release.yml
@@ -69,14 +69,27 @@ jobs:
       - name: Determine and update versions
         id: version
         run: |
+          # Get the latest version from npm registry
+          latest_npm_version=$(npm view vibe-kanban version 2>/dev/null || echo "0.0.0")
+          echo "Latest npm version: $latest_npm_version"
+
           timestamp=$(date +%Y%m%d%H%M%S)
 
-          # Hardcoded version
-          new_version="0.0.146"
-          new_tag="v${new_version}-${timestamp}"
+          # Update root package.json based on npm version, not current package.json
+          if [[ "${{ github.event.inputs.version_type }}" == "prerelease" ]]; then
+            # For prerelease, use current package.json version and add branch suffix
+            npm version prerelease --preid="${{ steps.branch.outputs.suffix }}" --no-git-tag-version
 
-          # Update root package.json
-          npm version $new_version --no-git-tag-version --allow-same-version
+            new_version=$(node -p "require('./package.json').version")
+            new_tag="v${new_version}.${timestamp}"
+          else
+            # For regular releases, use npm version and bump it
+            npm version $latest_npm_version --no-git-tag-version --allow-same-version
+            npm version ${{ github.event.inputs.version_type }} --no-git-tag-version
+
+            new_version=$(node -p "require('./package.json').version")
+            new_tag="v${new_version}-${timestamp}"
+          fi
 
           # Update npx-cli package.json to match
           cd npx-cli