diff --git a/bin/release.sh b/bin/release.sh
index 6216e756..229a1f97 100755
--- a/bin/release.sh
+++ b/bin/release.sh
@@ -36,6 +36,12 @@ PY
 )"
 SLUG="$($GH_BINARY repo view --json nameWithOwner --jq .nameWithOwner)"
 TAG="${TAG_PREFIX}${VERSION}"
+RELEASE_BRANCH="${RELEASE_BRANCH:-dev}"
+
+if [[ "$RELEASE_BRANCH" != main && ! "$VERSION" =~ ^[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+rc[0-9]+$ ]]; then
+    echo "Refusing to publish non-main ArchiveBox release $VERSION from $RELEASE_BRANCH; dev releases must be 0.9.XrcX prereleases" >&2
+    exit 1
+fi
 
 PYPI_VERSIONS="$($CURL_BINARY -fsSL "https://pypi.org/pypi/${PYPI_PACKAGE}/json" | $JQ_BINARY -r '.releases | keys[]')"
 GITHUB_TAGS="$($GH_BINARY api "repos/${SLUG}/releases?per_page=100" --jq '.[].tag_name')"
@@ -78,8 +84,8 @@ fi
 [[ "$RELEASE_SHA" =~ ^[0-9a-f]{40}$ ]]
 [[ "$($GIT_BINARY rev-parse HEAD)" == "$RELEASE_SHA" ]]
 [[ -z "$($GIT_BINARY status --short)" ]]
-$GIT_BINARY fetch --quiet --no-tags origin "+refs/heads/${RELEASE_BRANCH:-dev}:refs/remotes/origin/${RELEASE_BRANCH:-dev}"
-$GIT_BINARY merge-base --is-ancestor "$RELEASE_SHA" "refs/remotes/origin/${RELEASE_BRANCH:-dev}"
+$GIT_BINARY fetch --quiet --no-tags origin "+refs/heads/${RELEASE_BRANCH}:refs/remotes/origin/${RELEASE_BRANCH}"
+$GIT_BINARY merge-base --is-ancestor "$RELEASE_SHA" "refs/remotes/origin/${RELEASE_BRANCH}"
 
 [[ "$(<"$RELEASE_DISTRIBUTIONS_DIR/COMMIT_SHA")" == "$RELEASE_SHA" ]]
 $UV_BINARY run --no-project python - "$RELEASE_DISTRIBUTIONS_DIR" "$VERSION" <<'PY'
diff --git a/etc/package.json b/etc/package.json
index 3363a31f..65558b9f 100644
--- a/etc/package.json
+++ b/etc/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "archivebox",
-  "version": "0.9.35rc154",
+  "version": "0.9.35rc155",
   "repository": "github:ArchiveBox/ArchiveBox",
   "license": "MIT",
   "dependencies": {
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 30bda532..498c5da7 100755
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [project]
 name = "archivebox"
-version = "0.9.35rc154"
+version = "0.9.35rc155"
 requires-python = ">=3.13"
 description = "Self-hosted internet archiving solution."
 authors = [{name = "Nick Sweeting", email = "pyproject.toml@archivebox.io"}]
@@ -348,7 +348,7 @@ Donate = "https://github.com/ArchiveBox/ArchiveBox/wiki/Donations"
 
 
 [tool.bumpver]
-current_version = "v0.9.35rc154"
+current_version = "v0.9.35rc155"
 version_pattern = "vMAJOR.MINOR.PATCH[PYTAGNUM]"
 commit_message = "bump version {old_version} -> {new_version}"
 tag_message = "{new_version}"
diff --git a/uv.lock b/uv.lock
index 07eeb42e..621c4117 100644
--- a/uv.lock
+++ b/uv.lock
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ wheels = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "archivebox"
-version = "0.9.35rc154"
+version = "0.9.35rc155"
 source = { editable = "." }
 dependencies = [
     { name = "abx-dl" },