diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/release.yml b/.gitea/workflows/release.yml
index b64aaa4..5da1bfd 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/release.yml
@@ -78,22 +78,38 @@ jobs:
           echo "New version: $NEW_VERSION"
 
       - name: Commit version bump
+        id: commit
         run: |
           git add package.json CHANGELOG.md
-          git commit -m "chore: bump version to v${{ steps.version.outputs.new_version }}"
-          git push origin main
+          if git diff --cached --quiet; then
+            echo "No changes to commit (version may already be at target version)"
+            echo "committed=false" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+          else
+            git commit -m "chore: bump version to v${{ steps.version.outputs.new_version }}"
+            git push origin main
+            echo "committed=true" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+          fi
 
       - name: Create git tag for release
+        if: steps.commit.outputs.committed == 'true'
         run: |
           TAG_NAME="v${{ steps.version.outputs.new_version }}"
           echo "Creating tag $TAG_NAME"
-          git tag -a "$TAG_NAME" -m "Release $TAG_NAME"
-          git push origin "$TAG_NAME"
+          
+          # Check if tag already exists
+          if git rev-parse "$TAG_NAME" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+            echo "Tag $TAG_NAME already exists, skipping tag creation"
+          else
+            git tag -a "$TAG_NAME" -m "Release $TAG_NAME"
+            git push origin "$TAG_NAME"
+          fi
 
       - name: Set up Docker Buildx
+        if: steps.commit.outputs.committed == 'true'
         uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3
 
       - name: Build test-capable image
+        if: steps.commit.outputs.committed == 'true'
         run: |
           docker build \
             --target test-runner \
@@ -102,6 +118,7 @@ jobs:
             .
 
       - name: Run tests inside test-capable container
+        if: steps.commit.outputs.committed == 'true'
         run: |
           docker run --rm \
             -e DATABASE_URL="postgresql://user:pass@localhost:5432/dummy" \
@@ -109,6 +126,7 @@ jobs:
             npm run test:run
 
       - name: Build production image
+        if: steps.commit.outputs.committed == 'true'
         run: |
           docker build \
             --target runner \
@@ -118,6 +136,7 @@ jobs:
             .
 
       - name: Push Docker images
+        if: steps.commit.outputs.committed == 'true'
         run: |
           echo "Pushing to ${{ env.REGISTRY }}..."
           # Check if we can authenticate to the registry using DOCKER_LOGIN and DOCKER_PASSWORD secrets
@@ -142,6 +161,7 @@ jobs:
           fi
 
       - name: Deploy to dev (placeholder)
+        if: steps.commit.outputs.committed == 'true'
         run: |
           echo "Deploying version ${{ steps.version.outputs.new_version }} to dev environment..."
           # TODO: Add actual deployment steps
diff --git a/scripts/bump-version.js b/scripts/bump-version.js
index 989a4b7..80be566 100755
--- a/scripts/bump-version.js
+++ b/scripts/bump-version.js
@@ -48,14 +48,22 @@ function getCommitsSinceLastTag() {
 
     if (!latestTag) {
       // No tags yet, get all commits
-      return execSync('git log --oneline --format=%s', { encoding: 'utf8' }).trim().split('\n');
+      const commits = execSync('git log --oneline --format=%s', { encoding: 'utf8' }).trim();
+      return commits ? commits.split('\n') : [];
     }
 
     const commits = execSync(`git log ${latestTag}..HEAD --oneline --format=%s`, { encoding: 'utf8' }).trim();
     return commits ? commits.split('\n') : [];
   } catch (error) {
     // If no commits since tag or other error, get recent commits
-    return execSync('git log --oneline --format=%s -n 20', { encoding: 'utf8' }).trim().split('\n');
+    try {
+      const commits = execSync('git log --oneline --format=%s -n 20', { encoding: 'utf8' }).trim();
+      return commits ? commits.split('\n') : [];
+    } catch (innerError) {
+      // If all git log attempts fail, return empty array
+      console.warn('Warning: Could not retrieve commit history, defaulting to patch version');
+      return [];
+    }
   }
 }
 
@@ -175,37 +183,47 @@ function main() {
     console.log(`New version: ${currentVersion} → ${newVersion}`);
   }
 
-  // Confirm with user
-  const readline = require('readline');
-  const rl = readline.createInterface({
-    input: process.stdin,
-    output: process.stdout
-  });
+  // Confirm with user (or skip if --yes flag is set)
+  if (skipConfirm) {
+    // Update package.json
+    updatePackageJson(newVersion);
 
-  rl.question(`\nApply version ${newVersion}? (y/N) `, (answer) => {
-    if (answer.toLowerCase() === 'y' || answer.toLowerCase() === 'yes') {
-      // Update package.json
-      updatePackageJson(newVersion);
-
-      // Update changelog
-      if (bumpType !== 'custom') {
-        const commits = getCommitsSinceLastTag();
-        updateChangelog(newVersion, commits, bumpType);
-      }
-
-      console.log(`\n✅ Version bumped to ${newVersion}`);
-      console.log(`\nNext steps:`);
-      console.log(`  1. Review changes: git diff`);
-      console.log(`  2. Commit changes: git commit -am "chore: bump version to v${newVersion}"`);
-      console.log(`  3. Create tag: git tag -a v${newVersion} -m "Release v${newVersion}"`);
-      console.log(`  4. Push changes: git push origin main`);
-      console.log(`  5. Push tag: git push origin v${newVersion}`);
-    } else {
-      console.log('❌ Version bump cancelled');
+    // Update changelog
+    if (bumpType !== 'custom') {
+      const commits = getCommitsSinceLastTag();
+      updateChangelog(newVersion, commits, bumpType);
     }
 
-    rl.close();
-  });
+    console.log(`\n✅ Version bumped to ${newVersion}`);
+    process.exit(0);
+  } else {
+    const readline = require('readline');
+    const rl = readline.createInterface({
+      input: process.stdin,
+      output: process.stdout
+    });
+
+    rl.question(`\nApply version ${newVersion}? (y/N) `, (answer) => {
+      if (answer.toLowerCase() === 'y' || answer.toLowerCase() === 'yes') {
+        // Update package.json
+        updatePackageJson(newVersion);
+
+        // Update changelog
+        if (bumpType !== 'custom') {
+          const commits = getCommitsSinceLastTag();
+          updateChangelog(newVersion, commits, bumpType);
+        }
+
+        console.log(`\n✅ Version bumped to ${newVersion}`);
+        process.exit(0);
+      } else {
+        console.log('❌ Version bump cancelled');
+        process.exit(1);
+      }
+
+      rl.close();
+    });
+  }
 }
 
 // Run main function