diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 2422087..b88ee35 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -20,8 +20,33 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
           submodules: true
+          fetch-tags: true
           token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
 
+      - name: Get base tag
+        id: get_base_tag
+        run: |
+          BASE_TAG=$(git describe --tags --abbrev=0)
+          echo "base_tag=$BASE_TAG" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+
+      - name: Determine final tag
+        id: get_final_tag
+        run: |
+          BASE_TAG=${{ steps.get_base_tag.outputs.base_tag }}
+          TODAY=$(date +'%Y.%m.%d')
+
+          echo "Today will be: $TODAY"
+          echo "today=$TODAY" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+
+          if [[ "${{ github.event_name }}" == "release" ]]; then
+            FINAL_TAG="$BASE_TAG"
+          else
+            FINAL_TAG="${BASE_TAG}-nightly.$TODAY"
+          fi
+
+          echo "Drop's release tag will be: $FINAL_TAG"
+          echo "final_tag=$FINAL_TAG" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+
       - name: Set up QEMU
         uses: docker/setup-qemu-action@v3
 
@@ -45,7 +70,7 @@ jobs:
           images: |
             ghcr.io/drop-OSS/drop
           tags: |
-            type=schedule,pattern=nightly
+            type=schedule,pattern=nightly.${{ steps.get_final_tag.outputs.today }}
             type=semver,pattern=v{{version}}
             type=semver,pattern=v{{major}}.{{minor}}
             type=semver,pattern=v{{major}}
@@ -66,3 +91,5 @@ jobs:
           platforms: linux/amd64,linux/arm64
           cache-from: type=gha
           cache-to: type=gha,mode=max
+          build-args: |
+            BUILD_DROP_VERSION=${{ steps.get_final_tag.outputs.final_tag }}
diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 73ba58f..ac6caa5 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+# syntax=docker/dockerfile:1
+
 # Unified deps builder
 FROM node:lts-alpine AS deps
 WORKDIR /app
@@ -12,10 +14,15 @@ WORKDIR /app
 ENV NODE_ENV=production
 ENV NUXT_TELEMETRY_DISABLED=1
 
+# add git so drop can determine its git ref at build
+RUN apk add git
+
 # copy deps and rest of project files
 COPY --from=deps /app/node_modules ./node_modules
 COPY . .
 
+ARG BUILD_DROP_VERSION="v0.0.0-unknown.1"
+
 # build
 RUN yarn postinstall
 RUN yarn build
diff --git a/server/tasks/check/update.ts b/server/tasks/check/update.ts
index 4823f74..5a35e51 100644
--- a/server/tasks/check/update.ts
+++ b/server/tasks/check/update.ts
@@ -92,6 +92,7 @@ export default defineTask<TaskReturn>({
           };
         }
 
+        // TODO: handle prerelease identifiers https://github.com/npm/node-semver#prerelease-identifiers
         // check if is newer version
         if (semver.gt(latestVer, currVer)) {
           console.log("[Task check:update]: Update available");