diff --git a/.github/renovate.json b/.github/renovate.json
index 66dff0f..5853807 100644
--- a/.github/renovate.json
+++ b/.github/renovate.json
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
     },
     {
       "matchPackageNames": ["@xmtp/node-sdk", "@xmtp/node-bindings"],
-      "followTag": "nightly",
+      "allowedVersions": "/-(?:pre\\.\\d{14}\\.(?:dev|nightly)\\.[0-9a-f]+|nightly\\.\\d{8}\\.[0-9a-f]+)$/",
       "ignoreUnstable": false,
       "respectLatest": false
     }
diff --git a/test/xmtpLockstep.test.ts b/test/xmtpLockstep.test.ts
index adfe77e..6b7e3ea 100644
--- a/test/xmtpLockstep.test.ts
+++ b/test/xmtpLockstep.test.ts
@@ -13,13 +13,18 @@ import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
  *
  * Nightlies of both packages are published together from a single libxmtp
  * commit, and dev releases likewise publish both from one libxmtp run — so
- * the pins are in lockstep exactly when they share the same
- * `nightly.<date>.<hash>` or `dev.<hash>` suffix. Renovate bumps nightlies
- * as one grouped PR (see .github/renovate.json) and libxmtp's dev-release
+ * the pins are in lockstep exactly when they share the same suffix: the
+ * unified `pre.<YYYYMMDDHHMMSS>.<channel>.<hash>` shape that main-cut dev and
+ * nightly releases now share (one release run stamps one timestamp, so both
+ * packages carry an identical suffix), or the legacy
+ * `nightly.<date>.<hash>` / `dev.<hash>` shapes, which are kept because
+ * branch-cut dev releases still use them. Renovate bumps nightlies as one
+ * grouped PR (see .github/renovate.json) and libxmtp's dev-release
  * automation opens dev bumps the same way; this test fails if anything
  * desyncs them.
  */
-const PRERELEASE_SUFFIX = /-(nightly\.\d{8}\.[0-9a-f]+|dev\.[0-9a-f]+)$/;
+const PRERELEASE_SUFFIX =
+  /-(pre\.\d{14}\.(?:dev|nightly)\.[0-9a-f]+|nightly\.\d{8}\.[0-9a-f]+|dev\.[0-9a-f]+)$/;
 
 describe("xmtp node-sdk / node-bindings lockstep", () => {
   const pkg = JSON.parse(
@@ -46,7 +51,8 @@ describe("xmtp node-sdk / node-bindings lockstep", () => {
       bindingsSuffix,
       `@xmtp/node-sdk ${nodeSdk} and @xmtp/node-bindings ${nodeBindings} ` +
         "must come from the same libxmtp commit (matching " +
-        "nightly.<date>.<hash> or dev.<hash> suffix); a skewed pair breaks inbox-id " +
+        "pre.<ts>.<channel>.<hash>, nightly.<date>.<hash>, or dev.<hash> " +
+        "suffix); a skewed pair breaks inbox-id " +
         'derivation with "Inbox ID doesn\'t match nonce & address"',
     ).toBe(sdkSuffix);
   });