diff --git a/.github/workflows/medcat-v2_release.yml b/.github/workflows/medcat-v2_release.yml
index 31c8d0835..c1b0e88d7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/medcat-v2_release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/medcat-v2_release.yml
@@ -36,15 +36,16 @@ jobs:
 
           # Get the tag without the 'v' and strip the patch version
           VERSION_TAG="${GITHUB_REF#refs/tags/}"
-          # NOTE: branch name is in line with version tag, except for the patch version
-          BRANCH_NAME="${VERSION_TAG%.*}"  # This removes the patch version (everything after the second dot)
-
-          # set version tag as output for later use
-          echo "version_tag=$VERSION_TAG" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
 
           # Convert to lowercase first, then strip
           VERSION_TAG_LOWER="${VERSION_TAG,,}"
 
+          # NOTE: branch name is in line with version tag, except for the patch version
+          BRANCH_NAME="${VERSION_TAG_LOWER%.*}"  # This removes the patch version (everything after the second dot)
+
+          # set version tag as output for later use
+          echo "version_tag=$VERSION_TAG_LOWER" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+
           # only the version (no medcat/v prefix)
           VERSION_ONLY="${VERSION_TAG_LOWER#medcat/v}"
           echo "version_only=$VERSION_ONLY" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT