diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 3d434b1..8ab9222 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ name: Release
 on:
   push:
     tags:
-      - "v[0-9]+.[0-9]+.[0-9]+"  # Semantic versions only (e.g., v1.0.0), excludes action tags (v1)
+      - "v*"
 
 permissions:
   contents: write
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 41e9742..2dd651b 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -393,7 +393,7 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
 
       - name: Validate markdown
-        uses: jackchuka/mdschema@v1
+        uses: jackchuka/mdschema@v0.9.1
         with:
           files: "README.md docs/**/*.md"
           schema: ".mdschema.yml"
@@ -401,18 +401,18 @@ jobs:
 
 ### Inputs
 
-| Input               | Description                      | Default         |
-| ------------------- | -------------------------------- | --------------- |
-| `version`           | mdschema version (e.g., v0.9.1)  | `latest`        |
-| `files`             | Files or glob patterns           | `**/*.md`       |
-| `schema`            | Path to schema file              | `.mdschema.yml` |
-| `args`              | Additional CLI arguments         | (empty)         |
-| `working-directory` | Working directory for validation | `.`             |
+| Input               | Description                                    | Default         |
+| ------------------- | ---------------------------------------------- | --------------- |
+| `version`           | mdschema CLI version (use `latest` for newest) | Action ref      |
+| `files`             | Files or glob patterns                         | `**/*.md`       |
+| `schema`            | Path to schema file                            | `.mdschema.yml` |
+| `args`              | Additional CLI arguments                       | (empty)         |
+| `working-directory` | Working directory for validation               | `.`             |
 
 ### Monorepo Example
 
 ```yaml
-- uses: jackchuka/mdschema@v1
+- uses: jackchuka/mdschema@v0.9.1
   with:
     working-directory: "./packages/docs"
     files: "**/*.md"
diff --git a/action.yml b/action.yml
index a88c59e..aed5022 100644
--- a/action.yml
+++ b/action.yml
@@ -8,9 +8,9 @@ branding:
 
 inputs:
   version:
-    description: "mdschema version to install (e.g., v0.9.1, latest)"
+    description: "mdschema version to install. Defaults to the action ref (e.g., @v0.9.1 uses v0.9.1). Use 'latest' to always get the newest release."
     required: false
-    default: "latest"
+    default: ""
   files:
     description: "Files or glob patterns to validate"
     required: false
@@ -35,11 +35,20 @@ runs:
       id: version
       shell: bash
       run: |
-        if [ "${{ inputs.version }}" = "latest" ]; then
-          VERSION=$(curl -s https://api.github.com/repos/jackchuka/mdschema/releases/latest | grep '"tag_name"' | cut -d'"' -f4)
+        INPUT_VERSION="${{ inputs.version }}"
+        ACTION_REF="${{ github.action_ref }}"
+
+        if [ -n "$INPUT_VERSION" ] && [ "$INPUT_VERSION" != "latest" ]; then
+          # Use explicitly specified version
+          VERSION="$INPUT_VERSION"
+        elif [ -n "$ACTION_REF" ] && [ "$INPUT_VERSION" != "latest" ]; then
+          # Use action ref (e.g., v0.9.1 from @v0.9.1)
+          VERSION="$ACTION_REF"
         else
-          VERSION="${{ inputs.version }}"
+          # Fallback to latest (for local dev with ./ or explicit 'latest')
+          VERSION=$(curl -s https://api.github.com/repos/jackchuka/mdschema/releases/latest | grep '"tag_name"' | cut -d'"' -f4)
         fi
+
         echo "version=${VERSION}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
 
     - name: Download mdschema