diff --git a/.github/workflows/release-check.yml b/.github/workflows/release-check.yml
index a47f8e1f..36500215 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release-check.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release-check.yml
@@ -19,18 +19,21 @@ jobs:
           echo "🔍 Checking if branch is in pre-release mode..."
 
           if [[ -f .changeset/pre.json ]]; then
-            echo "❌ ERROR: This branch is in pre-release mode!"
-            echo ""
-            echo "Pre-release mode must be exited before merging to main."
-            echo ""
-            echo "To fix this, run the following commands in your branch:"
-            echo "  npx changeset pre exit"
-            echo "  git add -u"
-            echo "  git commit -m 'chore: exit pre-release mode'"
-            echo "  git push"
-            echo ""
-            echo "Then update this pull request."
-            exit 1
+            PRE_MODE=$(jq -r '.mode' .changeset/pre.json 2>/dev/null || echo '')
+            if [[ "$PRE_MODE" == "pre" ]]; then
+              echo "❌ ERROR: This branch is in active pre-release mode!"
+              echo ""
+              echo "Pre-release mode must be exited before merging to main."
+              echo ""
+              echo "To fix this, run the following commands in your branch:"
+              echo "  npx changeset pre exit"
+              echo "  git add -u"
+              echo "  git commit -m 'chore: exit pre-release mode'"
+              echo "  git push"
+              echo ""
+              echo "Then update this pull request."
+              exit 1
+            fi
           fi
 
-          echo "✅ Not in pre-release mode - PR can be merged"
+          echo "✅ Not in active pre-release mode - PR can be merged"