diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 32c76c0e..c65c9e18 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
         "listr2": "^8.0.2",
         "process": "^0.11.10",
         "semver": "^7.6.0",
+        "sort-package-json": "^2.8.0",
         "tsx": "^4.7.1",
         "turbo": "^1.12.3",
         "type-fest": "^4.10.3",
diff --git a/pnpm-lock.yaml b/pnpm-lock.yaml
index 8cf0e8cc..db1c7789 100644
--- a/pnpm-lock.yaml
+++ b/pnpm-lock.yaml
@@ -38,6 +38,9 @@ importers:
       semver:
         specifier: ^7.6.0
         version: 7.6.0
+      sort-package-json:
+        specifier: ^2.8.0
+        version: 2.8.0
       tsx:
         specifier: ^4.7.1
         version: 4.7.1
@@ -4153,6 +4156,11 @@ packages:
     engines: {node: '>= 0.8', npm: 1.2.8000 || >= 1.4.16}
     dev: false
 
+  /detect-indent@7.0.1:
+    resolution: {integrity: sha512-Mc7QhQ8s+cLrnUfU/Ji94vG/r8M26m8f++vyres4ZoojaRDpZ1eSIh/EpzLNwlWuvzSZ3UbDFspjFvTDXe6e/g==}
+    engines: {node: '>=12.20'}
+    dev: true
+
   /detect-libc@1.0.3:
     resolution: {integrity: sha512-pGjwhsmsp4kL2RTz08wcOlGN83otlqHeD/Z5T8GXZB+/YcpQ/dgo+lbU8ZsGxV0HIvqqxo9l7mqYwyYMD9bKDg==}
     engines: {node: '>=0.10'}
@@ -4164,6 +4172,11 @@ packages:
     engines: {node: '>=8'}
     dev: true
 
+  /detect-newline@4.0.1:
+    resolution: {integrity: sha512-qE3Veg1YXzGHQhlA6jzebZN2qVf6NX+A7m7qlhCGG30dJixrAQhYOsJjsnBjJkCSmuOPpCk30145fr8FV0bzog==}
+    engines: {node: ^12.20.0 || ^14.13.1 || >=16.0.0}
+    dev: true
+
   /diff-sequences@29.6.3:
     resolution: {integrity: sha512-EjePK1srD3P08o2j4f0ExnylqRs5B9tJjcp9t1krH2qRi8CCdsYfwe9JgSLurFBWwq4uOlipzfk5fHNvwFKr8Q==}
     engines: {node: ^14.15.0 || ^16.10.0 || >=18.0.0}
@@ -5389,6 +5402,11 @@ packages:
     engines: {node: '>=10'}
     dev: true
 
+  /get-stdin@9.0.0:
+    resolution: {integrity: sha512-dVKBjfWisLAicarI2Sf+JuBE/DghV4UzNAVe9yhEJuzeREd3JhOTE9cUaJTeSa77fsbQUK3pcOpJfM59+VKZaA==}
+    engines: {node: '>=12'}
+    dev: true
+
   /get-stream@5.2.0:
     resolution: {integrity: sha512-nBF+F1rAZVCu/p7rjzgA+Yb4lfYXrpl7a6VmJrU8wF9I1CKvP/QwPNZHnOlwbTkY6dvtFIzFMSyQXbLoTQPRpA==}
     engines: {node: '>=8'}
@@ -5420,6 +5438,10 @@ packages:
       resolve-pkg-maps: 1.0.0
     dev: true
 
+  /git-hooks-list@3.1.0:
+    resolution: {integrity: sha512-LF8VeHeR7v+wAbXqfgRlTSX/1BJR9Q1vEMR8JAz1cEg6GX07+zyj3sAdDvYjj/xnlIfVuGgj4qBei1K3hKH+PA==}
+    dev: true
+
   /github-url-from-git@1.5.0:
     resolution: {integrity: sha512-WWOec4aRI7YAykQ9+BHmzjyNlkfJFG8QLXnDTsLz/kZefq7qkzdfo4p6fkYYMIq1aj+gZcQs/1HQhQh3DPPxlQ==}
     dev: true
@@ -6174,6 +6196,11 @@ packages:
     engines: {node: '>=12'}
     dev: true
 
+  /is-plain-obj@4.1.0:
+    resolution: {integrity: sha512-+Pgi+vMuUNkJyExiMBt5IlFoMyKnr5zhJ4Uspz58WOhBF5QoIZkFyNHIbBAtHwzVAgk5RtndVNsDRN61/mmDqg==}
+    engines: {node: '>=12'}
+    dev: true
+
   /is-plain-object@5.0.0:
     resolution: {integrity: sha512-VRSzKkbMm5jMDoKLbltAkFQ5Qr7VDiTFGXxYFXXowVj387GeGNOCsOH6Msy00SGZ3Fp84b1Naa1psqgcCIEP5Q==}
     engines: {node: '>=0.10.0'}
@@ -8649,6 +8676,23 @@ packages:
       - pg-native
     dev: true
 
+  /sort-object-keys@1.1.3:
+    resolution: {integrity: sha512-855pvK+VkU7PaKYPc+Jjnmt4EzejQHyhhF33q31qG8x7maDzkeFhAAThdCYay11CISO+qAMwjOBP+fPZe0IPyg==}
+    dev: true
+
+  /sort-package-json@2.8.0:
+    resolution: {integrity: sha512-PxeNg93bTJWmDGnu0HADDucoxfFiKkIr73Kv85EBThlI1YQPdc0XovBgg2llD0iABZbu2SlKo8ntGmOP9wOj/g==}
+    hasBin: true
+    dependencies:
+      detect-indent: 7.0.1
+      detect-newline: 4.0.1
+      get-stdin: 9.0.0
+      git-hooks-list: 3.1.0
+      globby: 13.2.2
+      is-plain-obj: 4.1.0
+      sort-object-keys: 1.1.3
+    dev: true
+
   /source-map-js@1.0.2:
     resolution: {integrity: sha512-R0XvVJ9WusLiqTCEiGCmICCMplcCkIwwR11mOSD9CR5u+IXYdiseeEuXCVAjS54zqwkLcPNnmU4OeJ6tUrWhDw==}
     engines: {node: '>=0.10.0'}
diff --git a/scripts/publish.ts b/scripts/publish.ts
index f3d4225c..5277f50a 100644
--- a/scripts/publish.ts
+++ b/scripts/publish.ts
@@ -3,9 +3,9 @@ import {Listr, ListrTaskWrapper} from 'listr2'
 import * as fs from 'fs'
 import * as path from 'path'
 import {ListrEnquirerPromptAdapter} from '@listr2/prompt-adapter-enquirer'
-import * as assert from 'assert'
 import * as semver from 'semver'
 import {inspect} from 'util'
+import sortPackageJson from 'sort-package-json'
 
 const main = async () => {
   const packageJsonFilepath = (pkg: PkgMeta, type: 'local' | 'registry') =>
@@ -139,14 +139,17 @@ const main = async () => {
             ...ctx.packages.map(pkg => pkg.version),
             ...(ctx.packages.map(pkg => loadRegistryPackageJson(pkg)?.version).filter(Boolean) as string[]),
           ]
-          const maxVersion = allVersions.sort(semver.compare).at(-1)
+          const maxVersion = allVersions.sort(semver.compare).at(-1) || '0.0.0'
           if (!maxVersion) throw new Error(`No versions found`)
 
+          const releaseTypes: semver.ReleaseType[] = ['patch', 'minor', 'major', 'prepatch', 'preminor', 'premajor']
+          semver.prerelease(maxVersion) ? releaseTypes.unshift('prerelease') : releaseTypes.push('prerelease')
+
           let bumpedVersion = await task.prompt(ListrEnquirerPromptAdapter).run<string>({
             type: 'Select',
             message: `Select semver increment or specify new version (current latest is ${maxVersion})`,
             choices: [
-              ...(['patch', 'minor', 'major', 'prepatch', 'preminor', 'premajor', 'prerelease'] as const).map(type => {
+              ...releaseTypes.map(type => {
                 const result = semver.inc(maxVersion, type)!
                 return {
                   message: `${type} ${result}`,
@@ -168,11 +171,6 @@ const main = async () => {
             })
           }
 
-          if (Math.random()) {
-            console.error({newBumpedVersion: bumpedVersion})
-            throw new Error('random error')
-          }
-
           // todo: use enquirer to ask
           ctx.versionStrategy = {type: 'fixed', version: bumpedVersion}
           task.output = inspect(ctx.versionStrategy)
@@ -227,7 +225,10 @@ const main = async () => {
                   }
                 })
 
-                fs.writeFileSync(packageJsonFilepath(pkg, 'local'), JSON.stringify(packageJson, null, 2))
+                fs.writeFileSync(
+                  packageJsonFilepath(pkg, 'local'),
+                  sortPackageJson(JSON.stringify(packageJson, null, 2)),
+                )
               },
             })),
           )