diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index cfe1eb0..4ca5388 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -9,8 +9,30 @@ on:
     tags: ['v*']
 
 jobs:
+  # Fail loudly if the release's versions disagree. The binary's --version comes
+  # from Cargo.toml (workspace version), the npm package from its package.json,
+  # and the release identity from the tag — nothing keeps them in sync, so bump
+  # them together or this gate stops the publish. (v0.2.1 shipped a binary still
+  # reporting 0.2.0 because only npm was bumped.)
+  verify-versions:
+    name: Verify versions match the tag
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v7
+      - name: Assert Cargo, npm, and tag versions agree
+        run: |
+          tag="${GITHUB_REF_NAME#v}"
+          cargo_ver="$(sed -n 's/^version = "\(.*\)"/\1/p' Cargo.toml | head -1)"
+          npm_ver="$(node -p "require('./npm/bulltui/package.json').version")"
+          echo "tag=$tag cargo=$cargo_ver npm=$npm_ver"
+          if [ "$tag" != "$cargo_ver" ] || [ "$tag" != "$npm_ver" ]; then
+            echo "::error::release version mismatch — tag=$tag cargo=$cargo_ver npm=$npm_ver (bump Cargo.toml and npm together)"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+
   build:
     name: Build ${{ matrix.npm-pkg }}
+    needs: verify-versions
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 515cbdb..0fc594d 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -292,7 +292,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "bullmq"
-version = "0.1.0"
+version = "0.2.2"
 dependencies = [
  "anyhow",
  "futures-util",
@@ -307,7 +307,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "bulltui"
-version = "0.1.0"
+version = "0.2.2"
 dependencies = [
  "anyhow",
  "arboard",
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index fd73262..59c11b1 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ resolver = "2"
 members = ["crates/bullmq", "crates/bulltui"]
 
 [workspace.package]
-version = "0.2.0"
+version = "0.2.2"
 edition = "2021"
 rust-version = "1.88"
 license = "Apache-2.0"
diff --git a/justfile b/justfile
index 9d46310..43e77b7 100644
--- a/justfile
+++ b/justfile
@@ -110,7 +110,13 @@ release:
     set -euo pipefail
     git switch main
     git pull --ff-only
-    version="v$(node -p "require('./npm/bulltui/package.json').version")"
+    npm_ver="$(node -p "require('./npm/bulltui/package.json').version")"
+    cargo_ver="$(sed -n 's/^version = "\(.*\)"/\1/p' Cargo.toml | head -1)"
+    if [ "$npm_ver" != "$cargo_ver" ]; then
+        echo "version drift: Cargo.toml=$cargo_ver npm=$npm_ver — bump both before releasing" >&2
+        exit 1
+    fi
+    version="v$npm_ver"
     git tag "$version"
     git push origin "$version"
     git push "https://$(gh auth token)@github.com/vinnymac/bulltui.git" "$version"
diff --git a/npm/bulltui/CHANGELOG.md b/npm/bulltui/CHANGELOG.md
index 3acdd7d..93f9cd2 100644
--- a/npm/bulltui/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/npm/bulltui/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,11 @@
 # bulltui
 
+## 0.2.2
+
+### Patch Changes
+
+- sync the compiled binary version with the release. v0.2.1 bumped only the npm package, so `bulltui --version` still reported `0.2.0`; the Rust workspace version is now bumped alongside it, and the release pipeline fails loudly if the Cargo and npm versions drift.
+
 ## 0.2.1
 
 ### Patch Changes
diff --git a/npm/bulltui/package.json b/npm/bulltui/package.json
index e4022c3..66bc8b9 100644
--- a/npm/bulltui/package.json
+++ b/npm/bulltui/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "bulltui",
-  "version": "0.2.1",
+  "version": "0.2.2",
   "description": "A fast, keyboard-driven terminal UI for BullMQ",
   "homepage": "https://tangled.sh/@vinnymac.dev/bulltui",
   "repository": {