diff --git a/.github/workflows/python-release.yml b/.github/workflows/python-release.yml
index 7541360bf2..5b0627f075 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/python-release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/python-release.yml
@@ -29,12 +29,30 @@ on:
 
 
 jobs:
+  validate_version:
+    name: Validate version input
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - name: Echo version input
+        run: |
+          echo "Version input is: ${{ github.event.inputs.version }}"
+
+      - name: Validate version input
+        if: ${{ github.event.inputs.version != 'main' && !contains(github.event.inputs.version, 'rc') }}
+        run: |
+          echo "Error: Invalid version format. You provided: '${{ github.event.inputs.version }}'"
+          echo "Allowed formats:"
+          echo " - 'main'"
+          echo " - version string containing 'rc' (e.g., 0.8.0rc1, 0.8.0rc2)"
+          exit 1
+
   build_wheels:
     name: Build wheels on ${{ matrix.os }}
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
     strategy:
       matrix:
         os: [ ubuntu-22.04, windows-2022, macos-13, macos-14, macos-15 ]
+    needs: validate_version
 
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4