diff --git a/build.sh b/build.sh
index bc6ed5e..405cffd 100755
--- a/build.sh
+++ b/build.sh
@@ -16,6 +16,12 @@ ARCHIVE_NAME="X11Proxy-${VERSION}-linux-x86_64.tar.gz"
 REPO="ezterry/X11Proxy"
 GITEA_URL="https://git-hojo.devnull.name"
 
+if [[ -z "$VERSION" ]]; then
+    echo "❌ Failed to extract version from main.go"
+    echo "please fix the version constant in main.go"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
 echo "$BIN_NAME build script (version: $VERSION)"
 
 # 🧹 Clean build artifacts
@@ -44,6 +50,12 @@ build_dist() {
 
 # 🚀 Publish release to Gitea
 publish_release() {
+    #verify we will not run into an issue from a missing jq command
+    command -v jq >/dev/null || {
+        echo "❌ 'jq' is required but not installed. Please install it to continue."
+        exit 1
+    }
+
     build_dist
 
     echo "🔐 Enter Gitea token (will not be saved):"
@@ -59,7 +71,7 @@ publish_release() {
     git push origin $TAG
 
     echo "📤 Creating release on Gitea..."
-    curl -s -X POST "${GITEA_URL}/api/v1/repos/${REPO}/releases" \
+    RELEASE_JSON=$(curl -s -X POST "${GITEA_URL}/api/v1/repos/${REPO}/releases" \
         -H "Authorization: token ${GITEA_TOKEN}" \
         -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
         -d @- <<EOF
@@ -71,21 +83,9 @@ publish_release() {
   "prerelease": false
 }
 EOF
+    )
 
-    echo "📎 Uploading asset..."
-    RELEASE_ID=$(curl -s -X POST "${GITEA_URL}/api/v1/repos/${REPO}/releases" \
-        -H "Authorization: token ${GITEA_TOKEN}" \
-        -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-        -d @- <<EOF
-{
-    "tag_name": "${TAG}",
-    "name": "X11Proxy ${VERSION}",
-    "body": "Release ${VERSION}",
-    "draft": false,
-    "prerelease": false
-}
-EOF
-    | jq -r '.id')
+    RELEASE_ID=$(echo "$RELEASE_JSON" | jq -r '.id')
 
     echo "📎 Uploading asset to release ID ${RELEASE_ID}..."
     curl -s -X POST "${GITEA_URL}/api/v1/repos/${REPO}/releases/${RELEASE_ID}/assets" \
@@ -94,7 +94,6 @@ EOF
         -F attachment=@"${ARCHIVE_NAME}"
 
     echo "✅ Published release ${TAG} with asset ${ARCHIVE_NAME}"
-    echo "📌 Remember to push the tag: git push origin ${TAG}"
 }
 
 # 📖 Help message