diff --git a/.github/workflows/packages.yml b/.github/workflows/packages.yml
index af485c455..f2d9a4f83 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/packages.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/packages.yml
@@ -13,6 +13,10 @@ on:
       - '**/*.md'
       - '**/*.asciidoc'
 
+# Override the version if there is no tag release.
+env:
+  ELASTIC_CI_POST_VERSION: ${{ startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags') && '' || github.run_id }}
+
 jobs:
   build:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index a2a48b62b..b1d0dff48 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -4,15 +4,18 @@ on:
   push:
     tags:
       - "v*.*.*"
+    branches:
+      - main
 
 permissions:
   contents: read
 
 jobs:
   test:
-    uses: ./.github/workflows/test.yml
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/test-release.yml
     with:
       full-matrix: true
+      enabled: ${{ startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags') }}
 
   packages:
     uses: ./.github/workflows/packages.yml
@@ -31,10 +34,16 @@ jobs:
         with:
           name: packages
           path: dist
-      - name: Upload
+      - name: Upload pypi.org
+        if: startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags')
         uses: pypa/gh-action-pypi-publish@2f6f737ca5f74c637829c0f5c3acd0e29ea5e8bf
         with:
           repository-url: https://upload.pypi.org/legacy/
+      - name: Upload test.pypi.org
+        if: ${{ ! startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags') }}
+        uses: pypa/gh-action-pypi-publish@2f6f737ca5f74c637829c0f5c3acd0e29ea5e8bf
+        with:
+          repository-url: https://test.pypi.org/legacy/
 
   build-distribution:
     uses: ./.github/workflows/build-distribution.yml
@@ -59,6 +68,7 @@ jobs:
           name: build-distribution
           path: ./build
       - name: Publish lambda layers to AWS
+        if: startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags')
         run: |
           # Convert v1.2.3 to ver-1-2-3
           VERSION=${GITHUB_REF_NAME/v/ver-}
@@ -66,6 +76,7 @@ jobs:
 
           ELASTIC_LAYER_NAME="elastic-apm-python-${VERSION}" .ci/publish-aws.sh
       - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
+        if: startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags')
         with:
           name: arn-file
           path: ".arn-file.md"
@@ -75,6 +86,8 @@ jobs:
     needs:
       - build-distribution
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    env:
+      DOCKER_IMAGE_NAME: docker.elastic.co/observability/apm-agent-python
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
       - uses: elastic/apm-pipeline-library/.github/actions/docker-login@current
@@ -91,30 +104,35 @@ jobs:
       - id: setup-docker
         name: Set up docker variables
         run: |-
-          # version without v prefix (e.g. 1.2.3)
-          echo "tag=${GITHUB_REF_NAME/v/}" >> "${GITHUB_OUTPUT}"
-          echo "name=docker.elastic.co/observability/apm-agent-python" >> "${GITHUB_OUTPUT}"
+          if [ "${{ startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags') }}" == "false" ] ; then
+            # for testing purposes
+            echo "tag=test" >> "${GITHUB_OUTPUT}"
+          else
+            # version without v prefix (e.g. 1.2.3)
+            echo "tag=${GITHUB_REF_NAME/v/}" >> "${GITHUB_OUTPUT}"
+          fi
       - name: Docker build
         run: >-
           docker build
-          -t ${{ steps.setup-docker.outputs.name }}:${{ steps.setup-docker.outputs.tag }}
+          -t ${{ env.DOCKER_IMAGE_NAME }}:${{ steps.setup-docker.outputs.tag }}
           --build-arg AGENT_DIR=./build/dist/package/python
           .
       - name: Docker retag
         run: >-
           docker tag
-          ${{ steps.setup-docker.outputs.name }}:${{ steps.setup-docker.outputs.tag }}
-          ${{ steps.setup-docker.outputs.name }}:latest
+          ${{ env.DOCKER_IMAGE_NAME }}:${{ steps.setup-docker.outputs.tag }}
+          ${{ env.DOCKER_IMAGE_NAME }}:latest
       - name: Docker push
+        if: startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags')
         run: |-
-          docker push ${{ steps.setup-docker.outputs.name }}:${{ steps.setup-docker.outputs.tag }}
-          docker push ${{ steps.setup-docker.outputs.name }}:latest
+          docker push --all-tags ${{ env.DOCKER_IMAGE_NAME }}
 
   github-draft:
     permissions:
       contents: write
     needs:
       - publish-lambda-layers
+    if: startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags')
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
@@ -145,6 +163,7 @@ jobs:
         with:
           needs: ${{ toJSON(needs) }}
       - uses: elastic/apm-pipeline-library/.github/actions/notify-build-status@current
+        if: startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags')
         with:
           status: ${{ steps.check.outputs.status }}
           vaultUrl: ${{ secrets.VAULT_ADDR }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-release.yml b/.github/workflows/test-release.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c873f9eb7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-release.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+name: test-release
+
+on:
+  workflow_call:
+    inputs:
+      full-matrix:
+        description: "Run the full matrix"
+        required: true
+        type: boolean
+      ref:
+        description: "The git ref of elastic/apm-agent-python to run test workflow from."
+        required: false
+        type: string
+      enabled:
+        description: "Whether to run the workfow"
+        required: true
+        type: boolean
+  workflow_dispatch:
+    inputs:
+      full-matrix:
+        description: "Run the full matrix"
+        required: true
+        type: boolean
+      enabled:
+        description: "Whether to run the workfow"
+        required: true
+        type: boolean
+
+jobs:
+  test:
+    if: ${{ inputs.enabled }}
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/test.yml
+    with:
+      full-matrix: ${{ inputs.full-matrix }}
+
+  run-if-disabled:
+    if: ${{ ! inputs.enabled }}
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - run: echo "do something to help with the reusable workflows with needs"
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 23ebec33e..a88cdeb5b 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -100,7 +100,11 @@ def get_version():
     for line in version_file:
         if line.startswith("__version__"):
             version_tuple = ast.literal_eval(line.split(" = ")[1])
-            return ".".join(map(str, version_tuple))
+            version_str = ".".join(map(str, version_tuple))
+            post_version = os.getenv("ELASTIC_CI_POST_VERSION")
+            if post_version:
+                return f"{version_str}.post{post_version}"
+            return version_str
     return "unknown"