diff --git a/hack/scripts/gen-ver.sh b/hack/scripts/gen-ver.sh
index ddf57415..8b48c052 100755
--- a/hack/scripts/gen-ver.sh
+++ b/hack/scripts/gen-ver.sh
@@ -14,24 +14,25 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
+set -x
+# optional tag prefix to handle versions like:
+# cmd/cli/v0.1.44 -> v0.1.44
+# docker-v29.0.0 -> v29.0.0
+: "${TAGPREFIX:=}"
+
 srcdir="$1"
 if [ -z "$srcdir" ]; then
   echo "usage: ./gen-ver <srcdir>" >&2
   exit 1
 fi
 
-version=$(git -C "${srcdir}" describe --match 'v[0-9]*' --always --tags)
+tagregex="${TAGPREFIX}v[0-9]*"
+version=$(git -C "${srcdir}" describe --match "$tagregex" --tags)
 commit="$(git --git-dir "${srcdir}/.git" rev-parse HEAD)"
 commitShort=${commit:0:7}
 
-# Handle prefixed version formats
-# cmd/cli/v0.1.44 -> v0.1.44
-if [[ "$version" =~ .*/v[0-9] ]]; then
-  version="${version##*/}"
-fi
-# docker-v29.0.0 -> v29.0.0
-if [[ "$version" =~ ^docker-v[0-9] ]]; then
-  version="${version#docker-}"
+if [ -n "$TAGPREFIX" ]; then
+  version="${version#$TAGPREFIX}"
 fi
 
 # rpm "Release:" field ($rpmRelease) is used to set the "_release" macro, which
diff --git a/pkg/buildx/scripts/pkg-deb-build.sh b/pkg/buildx/scripts/pkg-deb-build.sh
index 7568ea1f..986f0a68 100755
--- a/pkg/buildx/scripts/pkg-deb-build.sh
+++ b/pkg/buildx/scripts/pkg-deb-build.sh
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@
 : "${SRCDIR=/work/src}"
 : "${OUTDIR=/out}"
 
+: "${TAGPREFIX=}"
+
 set -e
 
 if [ -z "$DISTRO_NAME" ]; then
diff --git a/pkg/buildx/scripts/pkg-rpm-build.sh b/pkg/buildx/scripts/pkg-rpm-build.sh
index 6aeafb74..6dfd47a4 100755
--- a/pkg/buildx/scripts/pkg-rpm-build.sh
+++ b/pkg/buildx/scripts/pkg-rpm-build.sh
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@
 : "${SRCDIR=/work/src}"
 : "${OUTDIR=/out}"
 
+: "${TAGPREFIX=}"
+
 set -e
 
 if [ -z "$DISTRO_NAME" ]; then
diff --git a/pkg/buildx/scripts/pkg-static-build.sh b/pkg/buildx/scripts/pkg-static-build.sh
index 579e785a..a2389d82 100755
--- a/pkg/buildx/scripts/pkg-static-build.sh
+++ b/pkg/buildx/scripts/pkg-static-build.sh
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@
 : "${SRCDIR=/work/src}"
 : "${OUTDIR=/out}"
 
+: "${TAGPREFIX=}"
+
 set -e
 
 if [ -z "$OUTDIR" ]; then
diff --git a/pkg/compose/scripts/pkg-deb-build.sh b/pkg/compose/scripts/pkg-deb-build.sh
index 55149fda..268f1f3b 100755
--- a/pkg/compose/scripts/pkg-deb-build.sh
+++ b/pkg/compose/scripts/pkg-deb-build.sh
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@
 : "${SRCDIR=/work/src}"
 : "${OUTDIR=/out}"
 
+: "${TAGPREFIX=}"
+
 set -e
 
 if [ -z "$DISTRO_NAME" ]; then
diff --git a/pkg/compose/scripts/pkg-rpm-build.sh b/pkg/compose/scripts/pkg-rpm-build.sh
index 6aeafb74..6dfd47a4 100755
--- a/pkg/compose/scripts/pkg-rpm-build.sh
+++ b/pkg/compose/scripts/pkg-rpm-build.sh
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@
 : "${SRCDIR=/work/src}"
 : "${OUTDIR=/out}"
 
+: "${TAGPREFIX=}"
+
 set -e
 
 if [ -z "$DISTRO_NAME" ]; then
diff --git a/pkg/compose/scripts/pkg-static-build.sh b/pkg/compose/scripts/pkg-static-build.sh
index 92849a17..a59ee7bb 100755
--- a/pkg/compose/scripts/pkg-static-build.sh
+++ b/pkg/compose/scripts/pkg-static-build.sh
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@
 : "${SRCDIR=/work/src}"
 : "${OUTDIR=/out}"
 
+: "${TAGPREFIX=}"
+
 set -e
 
 if [ -z "$OUTDIR" ]; then
diff --git a/pkg/containerd/scripts/pkg-deb-build.sh b/pkg/containerd/scripts/pkg-deb-build.sh
index 6812480f..f45f72b1 100755
--- a/pkg/containerd/scripts/pkg-deb-build.sh
+++ b/pkg/containerd/scripts/pkg-deb-build.sh
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@
 : "${SRCDIR=/work/src}"
 : "${OUTDIR=/out}"
 
+: "${TAGPREFIX=}"
+
 set -e
 
 if [ -z "$DISTRO_NAME" ]; then
diff --git a/pkg/containerd/scripts/pkg-rpm-build.sh b/pkg/containerd/scripts/pkg-rpm-build.sh
index 0c6c7eb2..2a2dc918 100755
--- a/pkg/containerd/scripts/pkg-rpm-build.sh
+++ b/pkg/containerd/scripts/pkg-rpm-build.sh
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@
 : "${SRCDIR=/work/src}"
 : "${OUTDIR=/out}"
 
+: "${TAGPREFIX=}"
+
 set -e
 
 if [ -z "$DISTRO_NAME" ]; then
diff --git a/pkg/containerd/scripts/pkg-static-build.sh b/pkg/containerd/scripts/pkg-static-build.sh
index e38ad49c..3ed0591a 100755
--- a/pkg/containerd/scripts/pkg-static-build.sh
+++ b/pkg/containerd/scripts/pkg-static-build.sh
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@
 : "${LIBSECCOMP_SRCDIR=/work/libseccomp-src}"
 : "${RUNHCS_SRCDIR=/work/runhcs-src}"
 
+: "${TAGPREFIX=}"
+
 set -e
 
 if [ -z "$OUTDIR" ]; then
diff --git a/pkg/credential-helpers/scripts/pkg-deb-build.sh b/pkg/credential-helpers/scripts/pkg-deb-build.sh
index a31254a8..fee31d82 100755
--- a/pkg/credential-helpers/scripts/pkg-deb-build.sh
+++ b/pkg/credential-helpers/scripts/pkg-deb-build.sh
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@
 : "${SRCDIR=/work/src}"
 : "${OUTDIR=/out}"
 
+: "${TAGPREFIX=}"
+
 set -e
 
 if [ -z "$DISTRO_NAME" ]; then
diff --git a/pkg/credential-helpers/scripts/pkg-rpm-build.sh b/pkg/credential-helpers/scripts/pkg-rpm-build.sh
index aad99679..df01904e 100755
--- a/pkg/credential-helpers/scripts/pkg-rpm-build.sh
+++ b/pkg/credential-helpers/scripts/pkg-rpm-build.sh
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@
 : "${SRCDIR=/work/src}"
 : "${OUTDIR=/out}"
 
+: "${TAGPREFIX=}"
+
 set -e
 
 if [ -z "$DISTRO_NAME" ]; then
diff --git a/pkg/credential-helpers/scripts/pkg-static-build.sh b/pkg/credential-helpers/scripts/pkg-static-build.sh
index 02f42e63..2525a157 100755
--- a/pkg/credential-helpers/scripts/pkg-static-build.sh
+++ b/pkg/credential-helpers/scripts/pkg-static-build.sh
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@
 : "${SRCDIR=/work/src}"
 : "${OUTDIR=/out}"
 
+: "${TAGPREFIX=}"
+
 set -e
 
 if [ -z "$OUTDIR" ]; then
diff --git a/pkg/docker-cli/scripts/pkg-deb-build.sh b/pkg/docker-cli/scripts/pkg-deb-build.sh
index 66087cd1..080aaf1b 100755
--- a/pkg/docker-cli/scripts/pkg-deb-build.sh
+++ b/pkg/docker-cli/scripts/pkg-deb-build.sh
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@
 : "${SRCDIR=/work/src}"
 : "${OUTDIR=/out}"
 
+: "${TAGPREFIX=}"
+
 set -e
 
 if [ -z "$DISTRO_NAME" ]; then
diff --git a/pkg/docker-cli/scripts/pkg-rpm-build.sh b/pkg/docker-cli/scripts/pkg-rpm-build.sh
index 6aeafb74..6dfd47a4 100755
--- a/pkg/docker-cli/scripts/pkg-rpm-build.sh
+++ b/pkg/docker-cli/scripts/pkg-rpm-build.sh
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@
 : "${SRCDIR=/work/src}"
 : "${OUTDIR=/out}"
 
+: "${TAGPREFIX=}"
+
 set -e
 
 if [ -z "$DISTRO_NAME" ]; then
diff --git a/pkg/docker-cli/scripts/pkg-static-build.sh b/pkg/docker-cli/scripts/pkg-static-build.sh
index 8c76d73d..3beb0250 100755
--- a/pkg/docker-cli/scripts/pkg-static-build.sh
+++ b/pkg/docker-cli/scripts/pkg-static-build.sh
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@
 : "${SRCDIR=/work/src}"
 : "${OUTDIR=/out}"
 
+: "${TAGPREFIX=}"
+
 set -e
 
 if [ -z "$OUTDIR" ]; then
diff --git a/pkg/docker-engine/scripts/pkg-deb-build.sh b/pkg/docker-engine/scripts/pkg-deb-build.sh
index 06f128f9..d03e0335 100755
--- a/pkg/docker-engine/scripts/pkg-deb-build.sh
+++ b/pkg/docker-engine/scripts/pkg-deb-build.sh
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@
 : "${SRCDIR=/work/src}"
 : "${OUTDIR=/out}"
 
+: "${TAGPREFIX=}"
+
 set -e
 
 if [ -z "$DISTRO_NAME" ]; then
diff --git a/pkg/docker-engine/scripts/pkg-rpm-build.sh b/pkg/docker-engine/scripts/pkg-rpm-build.sh
index 3a5470f4..883ec0dc 100755
--- a/pkg/docker-engine/scripts/pkg-rpm-build.sh
+++ b/pkg/docker-engine/scripts/pkg-rpm-build.sh
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@
 : "${SRCDIR=/work/src}"
 : "${OUTDIR=/out}"
 
+: "${TAGPREFIX=}"
+
 set -e
 
 if [ -z "$DISTRO_NAME" ]; then
diff --git a/pkg/docker-engine/scripts/pkg-static-build.sh b/pkg/docker-engine/scripts/pkg-static-build.sh
index cf13a5e6..219da10d 100755
--- a/pkg/docker-engine/scripts/pkg-static-build.sh
+++ b/pkg/docker-engine/scripts/pkg-static-build.sh
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@
 : "${SRCDIR=/work/src}"
 : "${OUTDIR=/out}"
 
+: "${TAGPREFIX=}"
+
 set -e
 
 if [ -z "$OUTDIR" ]; then
diff --git a/pkg/model/Dockerfile b/pkg/model/Dockerfile
index d7d07547..365e95c5 100644
--- a/pkg/model/Dockerfile
+++ b/pkg/model/Dockerfile
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@ ARG GO_IMAGE="golang"
 ARG GO_VERSION=1.24.8
 ARG GO_IMAGE_VARIANT="bookworm"
 
+ARG TAGPREFIX="cmd/cli/"
+
 # stage used as named context that mounts hack/scripts
 # see pkg target in docker-bake.hcl
 FROM scratch AS scripts
@@ -63,6 +65,7 @@ FROM src-base AS metadata-builder
 ARG PKG_REPO
 ARG PKG_REF
 ARG NIGHTLY_BUILD
+ARG TAGPREFIX
 RUN --mount=type=bind,from=scripts,source=gen-ver.sh,target=/usr/local/bin/gen-ver \
     --mount=type=bind,from=src,source=/src,target=/src <<EOT
   set -e
@@ -108,6 +111,7 @@ ARG PKG_DEB_BUILDFLAGS
 ARG PKG_DEB_REVISION
 ARG PKG_DEB_EPOCH
 ARG SOURCE_DATE_EPOCH
+ARG TAGPREFIX
 RUN --mount=type=bind,source=scripts/pkg-deb-build.sh,target=/usr/local/bin/pkg-deb-build \
     --mount=type=bind,from=scripts,source=gen-ver.sh,target=/usr/local/bin/gen-ver \
     --mount=type=bind,from=scripts,source=gen-deb-changelog.sh,target=/usr/local/bin/gen-deb-changelog \
@@ -143,6 +147,7 @@ ARG PKG_PACKAGER
 ARG PKG_RPM_BUILDFLAGS
 ARG PKG_RPM_RELEASE
 ARG SOURCE_DATE_EPOCH
+ARG TAGPREFIX
 RUN --mount=type=bind,source=scripts/pkg-rpm-build.sh,target=/usr/local/bin/pkg-rpm-build \
     --mount=type=bind,from=scripts,source=gen-ver.sh,target=/usr/local/bin/gen-ver \
     --mount=type=bind,from=scripts,source=fix-cc.sh,target=/usr/local/bin/fix-cc \
@@ -165,6 +170,7 @@ ENV CGO_ENABLED="0"
 ARG PKG_NAME
 ARG PKG_REF
 ARG NIGHTLY_BUILD
+ARG TAGPREFIX
 WORKDIR /build
 ARG TARGETPLATFORM
 RUN --mount=type=bind,source=scripts/pkg-static-build.sh,target=/usr/local/bin/pkg-static-build \
diff --git a/pkg/model/scripts/pkg-deb-build.sh b/pkg/model/scripts/pkg-deb-build.sh
index cf20350e..3c6d2889 100755
--- a/pkg/model/scripts/pkg-deb-build.sh
+++ b/pkg/model/scripts/pkg-deb-build.sh
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@
 : "${SRCDIR=/work/src}"
 : "${OUTDIR=/out}"
 
+: "${TAGPREFIX=}"
+
 set -e
 
 if [ -z "$DISTRO_NAME" ]; then
diff --git a/pkg/model/scripts/pkg-rpm-build.sh b/pkg/model/scripts/pkg-rpm-build.sh
index 93c46975..fd05636d 100755
--- a/pkg/model/scripts/pkg-rpm-build.sh
+++ b/pkg/model/scripts/pkg-rpm-build.sh
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@
 : "${SRCDIR=/work/src}"
 : "${OUTDIR=/out}"
 
+: "${TAGPREFIX=}"
+
 set -e
 
 if [ -z "$DISTRO_NAME" ]; then
diff --git a/pkg/model/scripts/pkg-static-build.sh b/pkg/model/scripts/pkg-static-build.sh
index 80f8820e..d0d990ec 100755
--- a/pkg/model/scripts/pkg-static-build.sh
+++ b/pkg/model/scripts/pkg-static-build.sh
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@
 : "${SRCDIR=/work/src}"
 : "${OUTDIR=/out}"
 
+: "${TAGPREFIX=}"
+
 set -e
 
 if [ -z "$OUTDIR" ]; then