diff --git a/.github/workflows/main.yml b/.github/workflows/main.yml
index a0c47682..ddf7e2d9 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/main.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/main.yml
@@ -89,9 +89,10 @@ jobs:
           else
             docker buildx build --platform $PLATFORMS -t $REGISTRY/$REPOSITORY:$VERSION --push .
           fi
-  build-binary:
+  build-create-release:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    needs: [lint, test]
+    if: startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags/')
+    permissions: write-all
     steps:
       - name: Checkout
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
@@ -107,16 +108,9 @@ jobs:
       - name: Build binary
         run: |
           VERSION=$(cat .release_version)
+          echo "Building binary for version $VERSION"
           make release
           ./scripts/bundleReleases.sh $VERSION
-  create-release:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    if: startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags/')
-    needs: [build-binary]
-    permissions: write-all
-    steps:
-      - name: Checkout
-        uses: actions/checkout@v4
       - name: Create Release
         id: create_release
         uses: actions/create-release@v1
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 3b50e2eb..fba5743e 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 GO=$(shell which go)
 ALL_FLAGS=
-GO_FLAGS=-ldflags "-X 'github.com/Layr-Labs/sidecar/internal/version.Version=$(shell cat .release_version || "unknown")' -X 'github.com/Layr-Labs/sidecar/internal/version.Commit=$(shell git rev-parse --short HEAD)'"
+GO_FLAGS=-ldflags "-X 'github.com/Layr-Labs/sidecar/internal/version.Version=$(shell cat .release_version)' -X 'github.com/Layr-Labs/sidecar/internal/version.Commit=$(shell git rev-parse --short HEAD)'"
 
 deps/dev:
 	${GO} install github.com/golangci/golangci-lint/cmd/golangci-lint@v1.61.0