diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci-python.yml b/.github/workflows/ci-python.yml
index 3b3af0c0d..9045cab95 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci-python.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci-python.yml
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ jobs:
     - name: Checkout Repo
       uses: actions/checkout@v5
       with:
+        fetch-depth: 0
         fetch-tags: true
 
     - uses: prefix-dev/setup-pixi@v0.9.3
@@ -75,6 +76,7 @@ jobs:
     - name: Checkout Repo
       uses: actions/checkout@v5
       with:
+        fetch-depth: 0
         fetch-tags: true
 
     - uses: prefix-dev/setup-pixi@v0.9.3
@@ -103,6 +105,7 @@ jobs:
     - name: Checkout Repo
       uses: actions/checkout@v5
       with:
+        fetch-depth: 0
         fetch-tags: true
 
     - uses: prefix-dev/setup-pixi@v0.9.3
diff --git a/.github/workflows/codecov.yml b/.github/workflows/codecov.yml
index 938bb72d6..946c8e62d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/codecov.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/codecov.yml
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ jobs:
     steps:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v5
       with:
+        fetch-depth: 0
         fetch-tags: true
 
     - uses: prefix-dev/setup-pixi@v0.9.3
diff --git a/tests/python/unit/test_version.py b/tests/python/unit/test_version.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5d0f57d05
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/python/unit/test_version.py
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+"""Tests for version access
+
+Ensures that `compass.__version__` is exposed and semantically shaped.
+We allow dev/local forms produced by setuptools_scm
+(e.g., 0.11.3.dev8+gHASH).
+"""
+
+import re
+
+import compass
+
+
+SEMVER_DEV_PATTERN = re.compile(r"^\d+\.\d+\.\d+(?:\.dev\d+\+g[0-9a-f]+)?$")
+
+
+def test_version_string_present():
+    """`__version__` attribute exists, is a non-empty string"""
+    assert hasattr(compass, "__version__")
+    assert isinstance(compass.__version__, str)
+    assert compass.__version__  # non-empty
+
+
+def test_version_semantic_shape():
+    """Version matches dev semver pattern"""
+    v = compass.__version__
+    assert SEMVER_DEV_PATTERN.match(v) is not None, (
+        f"Version {v} does not match expected pattern"
+    )
+    assert v != "9999", "Version set to placeholder"
+    assert not v.startswith("10000"), "Version set to placeholder"