diff --git a/.github/workflows/post-release.yml b/.github/workflows/post-release.yml
index 1d0ab5fd4253f..61ede4f778ae0 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/post-release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/post-release.yml
@@ -16,6 +16,9 @@ on:
     branches:
       - 'master'
 
+env:
+  VERSION: ${{ github.event.inputs.version || 'latest' }}
+
 # touch to trigger
 jobs:
   cli:
@@ -78,8 +81,8 @@ jobs:
           CYPRESS_RECORD_KEY: ${{ secrets.CYPRESS_RECORD_KEY }}
         run: |
           cd packages/cubejs-testing/
-          npx cubejs-cli@${{ github.event.inputs.version }} create birdbox-test-project -d postgres
-          export BIRDBOX_CUBEJS_VERSION=${{ github.event.inputs.version }}
+          npx cubejs-cli@"$VERSION" create birdbox-test-project -d postgres
+          export BIRDBOX_CUBEJS_VERSION="$VERSION"
           yarn run dataset:minimal
           yarn run birdbox:cli:postgresql
       - name: Slack Failure
@@ -139,7 +142,7 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           cd packages/cubejs-testing/
           export DEBUG=testcontainers
-          export BIRDBOX_CUBEJS_VERSION=${{ github.event.inputs.version }}
+          export BIRDBOX_CUBEJS_VERSION="$VERSION"
           yarn run dataset:minimal
           yarn run birdbox:${{ matrix.target }}
       - name: Slack Failure
@@ -204,7 +207,7 @@ jobs:
           cd packages/cubejs-testing/
           export DEBUG=testcontainers
           export BIRDBOX_CYPRESS_BROWSER=${{ matrix.browser }}
-          export BIRDBOX_CUBEJS_VERSION=${{ github.event.inputs.version }}
+          export BIRDBOX_CUBEJS_VERSION="$VERSION"
           yarn run cypress:install
           yarn run dataset:minimal
           yarn run cypress:birdbox