diff --git a/.github/workflows/test.yml b/.github/workflows/test.yml
index f97abb0f..cb351b5a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test.yml
@@ -23,8 +23,8 @@ env:
 jobs:
 
   build:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    if: "!contains(github.event.head_commit.message, 'ci skip')"
+    runs-on: ubuntu-24.04
+    if: ${{ !contains(github.event.head_commit.message, 'ci skip') }}
     steps:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v4
       with:
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ jobs:
           thuthesis-example.pdf
     - name: Build release zip
       run: |
-        version=$(git describe --tags)
+        version=$(git describe --tags --always)
         echo "Current git revision: $version"
         python3 utils/create_release.py --version $version
     - name: Build CTAN release zip with l3build
@@ -63,10 +63,10 @@ jobs:
             dist/thuthesis-*.zip
 
   test:
-    if: "!contains(github.event.head_commit.message, 'ci skip')"
+    if: ${{ !contains(github.event.head_commit.message, 'ci skip') }}
     strategy:
       matrix:
-        os: [ubuntu-latest, macos-14, windows-latest]
+        os: [ubuntu-24.04, macos-14, windows-latest]
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
     steps:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v4
diff --git a/utils/create_release.py b/utils/create_release.py
index 044f9027..a9d4be01 100755
--- a/utils/create_release.py
+++ b/utils/create_release.py
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ def create_release_zip(version: str):
     args = parser.parse_args()
     if not args.version:
         version = (
-            subprocess.check_output(["git", "describe", "--tags"])
+            subprocess.check_output(["git", "describe", "--tags", "--always"])
             .strip()
             .decode("utf-8")
         )