diff --git a/.github/workflows/check_release.yml b/.github/workflows/check_release.yml
index 6c35b4c..e659f6b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/check_release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/check_release.yml
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-name: Lint (black and flake8)
+name: Check Release
 on:
   workflow_call:
 
@@ -6,6 +6,16 @@ jobs:
   check-release:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
-      - name: Check branch and tag
-        if: github.event_name == 'push' && !(github.ref == 'refs/heads/main' && startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags/v'))
-        run: exit 1
\ No newline at end of file
+      - name: Check tag format
+        run: |
+          if ! echo "${{ github.ref }}" | grep -qE '^refs/tags/[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+'; then
+            echo "Tag must be a semver version like 1.2.3 (no v prefix)"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+      - name: Check branch
+        run: |
+          branch="${{ github.event.release.target_commitish }}"
+          if [[ "$branch" != "main" && "$branch" != hotfix/* && "$branch" != release/* ]]; then
+            echo "Release must target main, hotfix/*, or release/* branch (got: $branch)"
+            exit 1
+          fi
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index e5217ea..7a99153 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ max-complexity = 10
 enable = true
 style = "pep440"
 dirty = false
+pattern = "^(?P<base>\\d+\\.\\d+\\.\\d+.*)$"
 format = "{base}.dev{distance}"
 
 [tool.reqstool]