diff --git a/scripts/check-for-epoch-bump.sh b/scripts/check-for-epoch-bump.sh
index 1d745df..1ee3a0a 100755
--- a/scripts/check-for-epoch-bump.sh
+++ b/scripts/check-for-epoch-bump.sh
@@ -10,41 +10,75 @@ if [ "$#" -lt 1 ]; then
     exit 1
 fi
 
+version_grep() {
+    grep -E '^  version:'
+}
+
+version_sed() {
+    sed -r 's/^  version:[[:space:]]+([^[:space:]]+).*$/\1/;s|"||g'
+}
+
 epoch_grep() {
-    grep -E '^[[:space:]]+epoch:'
+    grep -E '^  epoch:'
 }
 
 epoch_sed() {
-    sed -r 's/^[[:space:]]+epoch:[[:space:]]+([0-9]+).*$/\1/'
+    sed -r 's/^  epoch:[[:space:]]+([0-9]+).*$/\1/'
 }
 
 for yaml_file in "$@"; do
     echo "Checking $yaml_file:"
 
-    # Extract the epoch from the current file using grep and sed
+    # Extract version and epoch from the current file using grep and sed
     # (not assuming `yq` is available)
+    version_line="$(version_grep < "$yaml_file")"
+    version_local="$(echo "$version_line" | version_sed)"
+    if [ -z "$version_local" ]; then
+        version_local="0"
+    fi
+
     epoch_line="$(epoch_grep < "$yaml_file")"
     epoch_local="$(echo "$epoch_line" | epoch_sed)"
     if [ -z "$epoch_local" ]; then
-        echo "Warning: 'epoch' field not found in $yaml_file"
-        echo ""
-        continue
+        epoch_local="0"
     fi
 
-    # Extract the epoch from the file on the main branch using git show
-    epoch_main_line="$(git show main:"$yaml_file" 2>/dev/null | epoch_grep)"
-    epoch_main="$(echo "$epoch_main_line" | epoch_sed)"
-    if [ -z "$epoch_main" ]; then
-        echo "Warning: 'epoch' field not found in $yaml_file on branch 'main'"
-        echo ""
-        continue
+    # Extract version and epoch from the file on the main branch using git show
+    # Treat missing file as version 0 and epoch 0
+    main_content="$(git show main:"$yaml_file" 2>/dev/null)"
+    if [ -z "$main_content" ]; then
+        version_main="0"
+        epoch_main="0"
+    else
+        version_main_line="$(echo "$main_content" | version_grep)"
+        version_main="$(echo "$version_main_line" | version_sed)"
+        if [ -z "$version_main" ]; then
+            version_main="0"
+        fi
+
+        epoch_main_line="$(echo "$main_content" | epoch_grep)"
+        epoch_main="$(echo "$epoch_main_line" | epoch_sed)"
+        if [ -z "$epoch_main" ]; then
+            epoch_main="0"
+        fi
     fi
 
-    # Compare the two epoch values (assumed to be integers)
-    if (( epoch_local > epoch_main )); then
-        echo "✅ Epoch has been increased compared to main: $epoch_local > $epoch_main"
+    # Compare version first, then epoch only if versions are the same
+    if [ "$version_local" != "$version_main" ]; then
+        # Versions are different - version comparison is sufficient
+        # Use sort -V for version comparison
+        if [ "$(printf '%s\n' "$version_local" "$version_main" | sort -V | head -n1)" = "$version_main" ] && [ "$version_local" != "$version_main" ]; then
+            echo "✅ Version has been increased compared to main: $version_local > $version_main"
+        else
+            echo "⚠️ Version HAS NOT been increased compared to main: $version_local <= $version_main"
+        fi
     else
-        echo "⚠️ Epoch HAS NOT been increased compared to main: $epoch_local <= $epoch_main"
+        # Versions are the same - check epoch
+        if (( epoch_local > epoch_main )); then
+            echo "✅ Epoch has been increased compared to main: $epoch_local > $epoch_main (version: $version_local)"
+        else
+            echo "⚠️ Epoch HAS NOT been increased compared to main: $epoch_local <= $epoch_main (version: $version_local)"
+        fi
     fi
 
 done