diff --git a/.github/workflows/prepare-release.yml b/.github/workflows/prepare-release.yml
index f0ed16ac..ae64fd58 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/prepare-release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/prepare-release.yml
@@ -16,11 +16,11 @@ on:
         required: true
         type: string
         default: "main"
-      tc_keep:
-        description: "Remove towncrier fragments"
+      pre_release:
+        description: "Pre-release? (Don't render changelog)"
         required: true
         type: boolean
-        default: true
+        default: false
 
 concurrency:
   group: ${{ github.workflow }}-${{ github.ref }}
@@ -30,6 +30,14 @@ jobs:
   pre_release_tasks:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
+      - name: Validate input
+        run: |
+          if [[ ${{ inputs.version }} = v* ]]
+          then
+            echo "::error title=Invalid Version::Invalid version number given"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
           fetch-depth: 0
@@ -91,8 +99,9 @@ jobs:
           echo "${{ steps.markdown-changelog.outputs.content }}"
 
       - name: Run towncrier
+        if: ${{ ! inputs.pre_release }}
         run: |
-          towncrier build --version ${{ inputs.version }} ${{ inputs.tc_keep && '--yes' || '--keep' }}
+          towncrier build --version ${{ inputs.version }} --yes
 
       - name: Run pre-commit
         run: |
@@ -102,7 +111,7 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Commit Changelog
         run: |
-          git commit -m "Render changelog for v${{ inputs.version }}"
+          git diff-index --quiet HEAD -- || git commit -m "Render changelog for v${{ inputs.version }}"
 
       - name: Create Pull Request
         uses: peter-evans/create-pull-request@v6
@@ -127,5 +136,6 @@ jobs:
               tag_name: "v${{ inputs.version }}",
               name: "v${{ inputs.version }}",
               body: `${{ steps.markdown-changelog.outputs.content }}`,
-              draft: true
+              draft: true,
+              prerelease: ${{ inputs.pre_release }}
             });