diff --git a/.github/workflows/publish.yml b/.github/workflows/publish.yml
index 66ceff881..5db388561 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/publish.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/publish.yml
@@ -386,6 +386,7 @@ jobs:
 
            # Verify the change
            echo "Updated version.rb:"
+           grep "semver" "$VERSION_FILE"
 
       - name: Commit and push version bump
         run: |
@@ -398,6 +399,7 @@ jobs:
           if git diff --cached --quiet; then
             echo "No changes to commit - version may have already been bumped"
             exit 0
+          fi
 
           git commit -m "Bump version to next alpha after ${{ github.ref_name }} release"