diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 9378a8a..4905e81 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -25,11 +25,18 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           COMMIT_MSG=$(git log -1 --pretty=%B)
           MERGE_BRANCH=$(echo "$COMMIT_MSG" | sed -n 's/^Merge pull request #[0-9]* from [^/]*\/\(.*\)$/\1/p' || echo "")
-          if echo "$MERGE_BRANCH" | grep -qE '^[0-9]{4}-[0-9]{2}-[0-9]{2}_release-v'; then
+          # Accept both `YYYY-MM-DD_release-vX.Y.Z` (documented) and the
+          # common `YYYY-MM-DD_release-X.Y.Z` variant (missing `v`).
+          if echo "$MERGE_BRANCH" | grep -qE '^[0-9]{4}-[0-9]{2}-[0-9]{2}_release-(v)?[0-9]'; then
             echo "is_release=true" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
-          elif echo "$COMMIT_MSG" | grep -qE '^[0-9]{4}-[0-9]{2}-[0-9]{2}_release-v'; then
+          elif echo "$COMMIT_MSG" | grep -qE '^[0-9]{4}-[0-9]{2}-[0-9]{2}_release-(v)?[0-9]'; then
             echo "is_release=true" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
           else
+            # A release-looking branch that does not match must not skip the
+            # publish silently (that is how v0.1.44 was lost on 2026-08-21).
+            if echo "$MERGE_BRANCH" | grep -qi 'release'; then
+              echo "::warning::Merge from release-looking branch '$MERGE_BRANCH' does not match the release pattern; publish skipped. Rename to YYYY-MM-DD_release-vX.Y.Z and re-merge."
+            fi
             echo "is_release=false" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
           fi