diff --git a/.github/workflows/libnvme-release-python.yml b/.github/workflows/libnvme-release-python.yml
index 8ee388517c..864ea04451 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/libnvme-release-python.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/libnvme-release-python.yml
@@ -68,8 +68,10 @@ jobs:
           echo "Computed dev version: $VERSION"
 
       - name: Patch project version in meson.build
+        env:
+          DEV_VERSION: ${{ steps.version.outputs.dev_version }}
         run: |
-          sed -i -e "/^project(/,/)/ s/^\(\s*\)version:\s*.*/\1version: '${{ steps.version.outputs.dev_version }}',/" meson.build
+          sed -i -e "/^project(/,/)/ s/^\(\s*\)version:\s*.*/\1version: '${DEV_VERSION}',/" meson.build
 
       - name: Build sdist
         run: |