diff --git a/.github/workflows/release-render-pipeline.yml b/.github/workflows/release-render-pipeline.yml
index 906e4f9..e6cd066 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release-render-pipeline.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release-render-pipeline.yml
@@ -62,38 +62,58 @@ jobs:
       run: |
         # Get the list of changed (staged) files using git diff
         changed_files=$(git diff --name-only)
+    
         # Get the list of untracked files (new files that haven't been added yet)
         new_files=$(git ls-files --others --exclude-standard)
+    
         # Combine the changed and new files
         all_changed_files=$(echo "$changed_files $new_files" | tr ' ' '\n')
+    
+        # Read the current version dictionary from config.py
+        python3 -c "from software.release.config import version; print(version)" > current_version.json
+    
+        # Debugging: Check the content of current_version.json
+        echo "Current version data:"
+        cat current_version.json
+    
         # Process each file in file_list.txt
         while read file; do
           # Extract the base file name from the full path
           base_file=$(basename "$file")
+    
           # Check if the file has been modified (either staged or new file)
           if echo "$all_changed_files" | grep -q "$base_file"; then
-            # Use Python to update the version
-            python3 - <<'EOF'
-    import ast
-    config_path = 'software/release/config.py'
-    with open(config_path, 'r') as f:
-        version = ast.literal_eval(f.read().strip().split('= ', 1)[1])
+            # Check if the file exists in the version dictionary
+            if grep -q "$base_file" current_version.json; then
+              # Get the current version number
+              current_version=$(python3 -c "from software.release.config import version; print(version.get('$base_file', 0))")
+              
+              # Debugging: Check current version
+              echo "Current version for $base_file: $current_version"
     
-    if '$base_file' in version:
-        version['$base_file'] += 1
-        print(f"Updated $base_file version to {version['$base_file']}")
-    else:
-        version['$base_file'] = 1
-        print(f"Added $base_file with version 1")
-    
-    with open(config_path, 'w') as f:
-        f.write(f"version = {repr(version)}")
-    EOF
+              # Increment the version number by 1
+              new_version=$((current_version + 1))
+              python3 -c "from software.release.config import version; version['$base_file'] = $new_version; \
+                          import json; \
+                          with open('software/release/config.py', 'w') as f: json.dump(version, f, indent=4)"
+              
+              # Debugging: Print the file name and updated version
+              echo "Updated $base_file version from $current_version to $new_version"
+            else
+              # Add the file with version 1 if it's not already in the dictionary
+              python3 -c "from software.release.config import version; version['$base_file'] = 1; \
+                          import json; \
+                          with open('software/release/config.py', 'w') as f: json.dump(version, f, indent=4)"
+              
+              # Debugging: Print that the file was added with version 1
+              echo "Added $base_file with version 1"
+            fi
           else
+            # Debugging: Print that the file has not changed
             echo "No change detected for $base_file"
           fi
         done < file_list.txt
-
+        
     # --- Step 3: Render README.qmd to Markdown ---
     - name: Set up R
       uses: r-lib/actions/setup-r@v2