diff --git a/.ci-make.sh b/.ci-make.sh
index 8356dbc..5e471ab 100755
--- a/.ci-make.sh
+++ b/.ci-make.sh
@@ -97,13 +97,13 @@ case "$1" in
 				git describe --tags HEAD
 				CI_COMMIT_TAG_RESOLVE=$(git describe --tags HEAD --abbrev=0)
 				echo "Closest existing tag: $CI_COMMIT_TAG_RESOLVE"
-				if [ "$CI_COMMIT_TAG_RESOLVE" = *"-dev" ] ; then
+				if [ "$CI_COMMIT_TAG_RESOLVE" != "${CI_COMMIT_TAG_RESOLVE%"-dev"}" ] || [ ! "$CI_COMMIT_TAG_RESOLVE" ] ; then
 					if [ $PR_MODE ] ; then
 						echo "I can't figure out which release version of Forgejo to build your PR against."
 						echo "Whatever you're trying to do is not yet implemented."
 						exit 97
 					fi
-					echo "err! building dev version- skipping binary dl"
+					echo "err! unable to resolve tag or building dev version- skipping binary dl"
 					CI_COMMIT_TAG_RESOLVE=
 				fi
 			fi