diff --git a/.github/workflows/npm-publish.yml b/.github/workflows/npm-publish.yml
index fb1f8b70..3846ad1c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/npm-publish.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/npm-publish.yml
@@ -69,11 +69,31 @@ jobs:
       - name: Pack
         run: ./scripts/npm-pack.sh
 
+      - name: Determine dist-tag
+        id: dist_tag
+        run: |
+          TAG=$(node -p "
+            const v = require('./package.json').version;
+            const pre = v.split('-')[1];
+            !pre ? 'latest' : (pre.split('.')[0].replace(/[0-9]+$/, '') || 'next')
+          ")
+          if [[ -z "$TAG" ]]; then
+            echo "::error::Failed to determine dist-tag"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+          echo "tag=$TAG" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+          echo "Resolved dist-tag: $TAG"
+
       - name: Publish
         run: |
+          TAG="${{ steps.dist_tag.outputs.tag }}"
+          if [[ -z "$TAG" ]]; then
+            echo "::error::dist-tag is empty, aborting publish"
+            exit 1
+          fi
           if [[ "${{ inputs.dry_run }}" == "true" ]]; then
             echo "=== DRY RUN ==="
-            npm publish --provenance --access public --dry-run ./dist/rclnodejs-*.tgz
+            npm publish --provenance --access public --tag "$TAG" --dry-run ./dist/rclnodejs-*.tgz
           else
-            npm publish --provenance --access public ./dist/rclnodejs-*.tgz
+            npm publish --provenance --access public --tag "$TAG" ./dist/rclnodejs-*.tgz
           fi