diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index df5922a..18ae7c0 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -9,10 +9,32 @@ concurrency:
   cancel-in-progress: false
 
 jobs:
-  release:
-    # Skip automated version bump commits
+  check:
+    # Skip automated version bump commits and stale push events for an already tagged main.
     if: "!contains(github.event.head_commit.message, 'chore: release')"
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    outputs:
+      needed: ${{ steps.unreleased.outputs.needed }}
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 0
+
+      - name: Check whether main is already released
+        id: unreleased
+        run: |
+          git fetch origin main --tags
+          if git describe --tags --exact-match --match 'v[0-9]*' origin/main >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+            echo "needed=false" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+            echo "Current main already has a version tag; no release needed"
+          else
+            echo "needed=true" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+          fi
+
+  release:
+    needs: check
+    if: needs.check.outputs.needed == 'true'
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     permissions:
       contents: write
       id-token: write