diff --git a/packages/shorebird_cli/lib/src/commands/release_command.dart b/packages/shorebird_cli/lib/src/commands/release_command.dart
index fa81057e..0eeb9896 100644
--- a/packages/shorebird_cli/lib/src/commands/release_command.dart
+++ b/packages/shorebird_cli/lib/src/commands/release_command.dart
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import 'package:shorebird_cli/src/shorebird_config_mixin.dart';
 import 'package:shorebird_cli/src/shorebird_create_app_mixin.dart';
 import 'package:shorebird_cli/src/shorebird_validation_mixin.dart';
 import 'package:shorebird_code_push_client/shorebird_code_push_client.dart';
+import 'package:version/version.dart';
 
 /// {@template release_command}
 /// `shorebird release`
@@ -117,11 +118,27 @@ Did you forget to run "shorebird init"?''',
 
     if (releaseVersionArg == null) logger.info('');
 
-    final releaseVersion = releaseVersionArg ??
-        logger.prompt(
-          'What is the version of this release?',
-          defaultValue: versionString,
+    String? releaseVersion;
+    var releaseVersionInput = releaseVersionArg;
+    while (releaseVersion == null) {
+      releaseVersionInput = releaseVersionInput ??
+          logger.prompt(
+            'What is the version of this release?',
+            defaultValue: versionString,
+          );
+      try {
+        releaseVersion = Version.parse(releaseVersionInput).toString();
+      } catch (error) {
+        final shouldContinue = logger.confirm(
+          '''"$releaseVersionInput" does not look like a version number. Proceed anyways?''',
         );
+        if (shouldContinue) {
+          releaseVersion = releaseVersionInput;
+        } else {
+          releaseVersionInput = null;
+        }
+      }
+    }
 
     final platform = results['platform'] as String;
     final archNames = architectures.keys.map(
@@ -154,7 +171,8 @@ ${styleBold.wrap(lightGreen.wrap('🚀 Ready to create a new release!'))}
       return ExitCode.software.code;
     }
 
-    var release = releases.firstWhereOrNull((r) => r.version == releaseVersion);
+    var release = releases
+        .firstWhereOrNull((r) => r.version == releaseVersion.toString());
     if (release == null) {
       final createReleaseProgress = logger.progress('Creating release');
       try {
diff --git a/packages/shorebird_cli/test/src/commands/init_command_test.dart b/packages/shorebird_cli/test/src/commands/init_command_test.dart
index 2a408339..dfc70763 100644
--- a/packages/shorebird_cli/test/src/commands/init_command_test.dart
+++ b/packages/shorebird_cli/test/src/commands/init_command_test.dart
@@ -292,7 +292,7 @@ flutter:
       File(p.join(tempDir.path, 'pubspec.yaml')).writeAsStringSync('''
 $pubspecYamlContent
 flutter:
-  assets: 
+  assets:
     - some/asset.txt
 ''');
       await IOOverrides.runZoned(
@@ -304,7 +304,7 @@ flutter:
         equals('''
 $pubspecYamlContent
 flutter:
-  assets: 
+  assets:
     - some/asset.txt
     - shorebird.yaml
 '''),
diff --git a/packages/shorebird_cli/test/src/commands/release_command_test.dart b/packages/shorebird_cli/test/src/commands/release_command_test.dart
index 063d778b..9fd1ce9c 100644
--- a/packages/shorebird_cli/test/src/commands/release_command_test.dart
+++ b/packages/shorebird_cli/test/src/commands/release_command_test.dart
@@ -253,8 +253,11 @@ Did you forget to run "shorebird init"?''',
     test('aborts when user opts out', () async {
       when(() => logger.confirm(any())).thenReturn(false);
       when(
-        () => logger.prompt(any(), defaultValue: any(named: 'defaultValue')),
-      ).thenReturn(appDisplayName);
+        () => logger.prompt(
+          'What is the version of this release?',
+          defaultValue: any(named: 'defaultValue'),
+        ),
+      ).thenAnswer((_) => '1.0.0');
       final tempDir = setUpTempDir();
       setUpTempArtifacts(tempDir);
       final exitCode = await IOOverrides.runZoned(
@@ -265,6 +268,91 @@ Did you forget to run "shorebird init"?''',
       verify(() => logger.info('Aborting.')).called(1);
     });
 
+    test(
+      'prompts user for version until a valid version is provided',
+      () async {
+        final versionNumberResponses = [
+          'asdf',
+          'y',
+          '1.2.3',
+        ];
+        when(
+          () => logger.prompt(
+            'What is the version of this release?',
+            defaultValue: any(named: 'defaultValue'),
+          ),
+        ).thenAnswer((_) => versionNumberResponses.removeAt(0));
+        when(
+          () => logger.confirm(
+            any(that: contains('does not look like a version')),
+          ),
+        ).thenReturn(false);
+
+        final tempDir = setUpTempDir();
+        setUpTempArtifacts(tempDir);
+        final exitCode = await IOOverrides.runZoned(
+          command.run,
+          getCurrentDirectory: () => tempDir,
+        );
+
+        expect(exitCode, ExitCode.success.code);
+        verify(
+          () => logger.confirm(
+            any(
+              that: contains(
+                '"asdf" does not look like a version number',
+              ),
+            ),
+          ),
+        ).called(1);
+        verify(
+          () => logger.confirm(
+            any(
+              that: contains(
+                '"y" does not look like a version number',
+              ),
+            ),
+          ),
+        ).called(1);
+      },
+    );
+
+    test(
+      'prompts user for version until they choose to proceed anyways',
+      () async {
+        when(
+          () => logger.prompt(
+            'What is the version of this release?',
+            defaultValue: any(named: 'defaultValue'),
+          ),
+        ).thenReturn('asdf');
+        when(
+          () => logger.confirm(
+            any(that: contains('does not look like a version number')),
+          ),
+        ).thenReturn(true);
+
+        final tempDir = setUpTempDir();
+        setUpTempArtifacts(tempDir);
+        final exitCode = await IOOverrides.runZoned(
+          command.run,
+          getCurrentDirectory: () => tempDir,
+        );
+
+        expect(exitCode, ExitCode.success.code);
+        verify(
+          () => logger.confirm(
+            any(
+              that: contains(
+                '"asdf" does not look like a version number',
+              ),
+            ),
+          ),
+        ).called(1);
+        verify(() => logger.success('\n✅ Published Release!')).called(1);
+      },
+    );
+
     test('throws error when fetching releases fails.', () async {
       const error = 'something went wrong';
       when(