diff --git a/photon-lib/py/setup.py b/photon-lib/py/setup.py
index 4c17db300..351081d38 100644
--- a/photon-lib/py/setup.py
+++ b/photon-lib/py/setup.py
@@ -16,10 +16,24 @@ m = re.search(
 # which should be PEP440 compliant
 if m:
     versionString = m.group(0)
-    prefix = m.group(1)
-    maturity = m.group(2)
-    suffix = m.group(3).replace(".", "")
-    versionString = f"{prefix}.{maturity}.{suffix}"
+    # Hack -- for strings like v2024.1.1, do NOT add matruity/suffix
+    if len(m.group(2)) > 0:
+        print("using beta group matcher")
+        prefix = m.group(1)
+        maturity = m.group(2)
+        suffix = m.group(3).replace(".", "")
+        versionString = f"{prefix}.{maturity}.{suffix}"
+    else:
+        split = gitDescribeResult.split("-")
+        if len(split) == 3:
+            year, commits, sha = split
+            # Chop off leading v from "v2024.1.2", and use "post" for commits to master since
+            versionString = f"{year[1:]}post{commits}"
+            print("using dev release " + versionString)
+        else:
+            year = gitDescribeResult
+            versionString = year[1:]
+            print("using full release " + versionString)
 
 
 else: