diff --git a/.github/workflows/release-and-publish.yml b/.github/workflows/release-and-publish.yml
index 122f589..6065ec5 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release-and-publish.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release-and-publish.yml
@@ -41,21 +41,23 @@ jobs:
 
       - id: update_version
         name: Update Package Version
+        env:
+          PREID: rc
         run: |
           echo foo > bar.txt
           set -e
 
           if [[ ${{ inputs.prerelease }} ]]; then
             current_version=$(npm pkg get version | sed 's/"//g')
-            echo "Creating prerelease version. Current version is $current_version"
-            if [[ current_version =~ "rc" ]]; then
+            echo "Creating prerelease version. Current version is ${current_version}"
+            if [[ ${current_version} =~ ${PREID} ]]; then
               echo "subsequent prerelease version"
               # as current version is a prerelease, we can just bump the prerelease number
               new_version=$(npm version prerelease --sign-git-tag -m "Create prererelease version %s" )
             else
               echo "first prerelease version"
               # if not a prerelease, we need to create a prerelease version
-              new_version=$(npm version --preid="rc" pre${{ inputs.semver_type }} --sign-git-tag -m "Create prererelease version %s" )
+              new_version=$(npm version --preid=${PREID} pre${{ inputs.semver_type }} --sign-git-tag -m "Create prererelease version %s" )
             fi
           else
             echo "creating new release"
@@ -72,6 +74,7 @@ jobs:
 
       - uses: ncipollo/release-action@v1
         with:
+          allowUpdates: true
           artifacts: "${{ steps.pack_tar.outputs.tar_name }}"
           tag: "${{ steps.update_version.outputs.version_number }}"
           generateReleaseNotes: true
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 0428eea..6d6bfd9 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 {
   "name": "ts-mock-imports",
-  "version": "1.3.17-rc.0",
+  "version": "1.3.16-rc.0",
   "lockfileVersion": 2,
   "requires": true,
   "packages": {
     "": {
       "name": "ts-mock-imports",
-      "version": "1.3.17-rc.0",
+      "version": "1.3.16-rc.0",
       "license": "MIT",
       "devDependencies": {
         "@eslint/js": "^9.2.0",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 0475062..fbfd5cc 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "ts-mock-imports",
-  "version": "1.3.17-rc.0",
+  "version": "1.3.16-rc.0",
   "description": "Intuitive mocking for Typescript class imports",
   "main": "lib/index.js",
   "types": "lib/index.d.ts",