diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 5712e250e7..95246d91f7 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -59,3 +59,6 @@ cmd/workload/workload
 
 # claude
 .claude
+
+# for testing docker builds 
+.github/workflows/docker-test.yml
diff --git a/internal/build/env.go b/internal/build/env.go
index 1ebdcb3877..b221338af9 100644
--- a/internal/build/env.go
+++ b/internal/build/env.go
@@ -174,9 +174,12 @@ func LocalEnv() Environment {
 	if info, err := os.Stat(".git/objects"); err == nil && info.IsDir() && env.Tag == "" {
 		// Try to get tag at HEAD first
 		env.Tag = firstLine(RunGit("tag", "-l", "--points-at", "HEAD"))
-		// If no tag points at HEAD, get the most recent tag
+		// If no tag points at HEAD, try to get the most recent tag
 		if env.Tag == "" {
-			env.Tag = firstLine(RunGit("describe", "--tags", "--abbrev=0"))
+			// Check if there are any tags at all before trying git describe
+			if tags := RunGit("tag", "-l"); tags != "" {
+				env.Tag = firstLine(RunGit("describe", "--tags", "--abbrev=0"))
+			}
 		}
 	}
 	return env