diff --git a/cli/version_bump.php b/cli/version_bump.php
index 4c15810..5efb6c5 100644
--- a/cli/version_bump.php
+++ b/cli/version_bump.php
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ $mokoManifest = "{$root}/.mokogitea/manifest.xml";
 $mokoContent = '';
 if (file_exists($mokoManifest)) {
     $mokoContent = file_get_contents($mokoManifest);
-    if (preg_match('|<version>(\d{2}\.\d{2}\.\d{2})</version>|', $mokoContent, $m)) {
+    if (preg_match('|<version>(\d{2}\.\d{2}\.\d{2})(?:-([a-z]+))?</version>|', $mokoContent, $m)) {
         $mokoVersion = $m[1];
     }
 }
@@ -56,15 +56,17 @@ $manifestFiles = array_merge(
     glob("{$root}/*.xml") ?: []
 );
 
+$manifestSuffix = '';
 foreach ($manifestFiles as $xmlFile) {
     $xmlContent = file_get_contents($xmlFile);
     if (strpos($xmlContent, '<extension') === false && strpos($xmlContent, '<version>') === false) {
         continue;
     }
-    if (preg_match('|<version>(\d{2}\.\d{2}\.\d{2})(?:-[a-z]+)?</version>|', $xmlContent, $xm)) {
+    if (preg_match('|<version>(\d{2}\.\d{2}\.\d{2})(?:-([a-z]+))?</version>|', $xmlContent, $xm)) {
         $candidate = $xm[1];
         if ($manifestVersion === null || version_compare($candidate, $manifestVersion, '>')) {
             $manifestVersion = $candidate;
+            $manifestSuffix = isset($xm[2]) ? $xm[2] : '';
         }
     }
 }
@@ -106,10 +108,14 @@ switch ($type) {
 
 $new = sprintf('%02d.%02d.%02d', $major, $minor, $patch);
 
-// -- Update .mokogitea/manifest.xml (canonical target) --
+// -- Determine suffix to preserve (from whichever source had the version) --
+$suffix = !empty($manifestSuffix) ? $manifestSuffix : '';
+$newFull = $suffix !== '' ? "{$new}-{$suffix}" : $new;
+
+// -- Update .mokogitea/manifest.xml (canonical target, no suffix) --
 if (file_exists($mokoManifest) && !empty($mokoContent)) {
     $updated = preg_replace(
-        '|<version>\d{2}\.\d{2}\.\d{2}</version>|',
+        '|<version>\d{2}\.\d{2}\.\d{2}(?:-[a-z]+)?</version>|',
         "<version>{$new}</version>",
         $mokoContent,
         1
@@ -146,7 +152,7 @@ foreach ($xmlPatterns as $pattern) {
         }
         $newContent = preg_replace(
             '|<version>\d{2}\.\d{2}\.\d{2}(?:-[a-z]+)?</version>|',
-            "<version>{$new}</version>",
+            "<version>{$newFull}</version>",
             $content
         );
         if ($newContent !== $content) {
@@ -190,5 +196,5 @@ if (file_exists($pyprojectFile)) {
     }
 }
 
-echo "{$old} -> {$new}\n";
+echo "{$old} -> {$newFull}\n";
 exit(0);
diff --git a/cli/version_read.php b/cli/version_read.php
index cb45c93..f4c5457 100644
--- a/cli/version_read.php
+++ b/cli/version_read.php
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ if (file_exists($readme)) {
 
 // -- 3. Fallback: Joomla manifest XML --
 $manifestVersion = null;
+$manifestVersionSuffix = '';
 $manifestFiles = array_merge(
     glob("{$root}/src/pkg_*.xml") ?: [],
     glob("{$root}/src/*.xml") ?: [],
@@ -66,10 +67,12 @@ foreach ($manifestFiles as $xmlFile) {
     if (strpos($xmlContent, '<extension') === false && strpos($xmlContent, '<version>') === false) {
         continue;
     }
-    if (preg_match('|<version>(\d{2}\.\d{2}\.\d{2})(?:-[a-z]+)?</version>|', $xmlContent, $xm)) {
+    if (preg_match('|<version>(\d{2}\.\d{2}\.\d{2})(-[a-z]+)?</version>|', $xmlContent, $xm)) {
         $candidate = $xm[1];
+        $candidateSuffix = isset($xm[2]) ? $xm[2] : '';
         if ($manifestVersion === null || version_compare($candidate, $manifestVersion, '>')) {
             $manifestVersion = $candidate;
+            $manifestVersionSuffix = $candidateSuffix;
         }
     }
 }
@@ -103,9 +106,11 @@ $candidates = array_filter([
 ]);
 
 $version = null;
+$versionSource = '';
 foreach ($candidates as $candidate) {
     if ($version === null || version_compare($candidate, $version, '>')) {
         $version = $candidate;
+        $versionSource = ($candidate === $manifestVersion) ? 'manifest' : 'other';
     }
 }
 
@@ -114,6 +119,11 @@ if ($version === null) {
     exit(1);
 }
 
+// Append suffix if the version came from a Joomla manifest with a suffix
+if ($versionSource === 'manifest' && !empty($manifestVersionSuffix)) {
+    $version .= $manifestVersionSuffix;
+}
+
 // -- Backfill: if manifest.xml exists but lacks <version>, insert it --
 if (file_exists($mokoManifest)) {
     $content = file_get_contents($mokoManifest);