diff --git a/build/set_build_version.ts b/build/set_build_version.ts
index 3f503e93ba..ebf74d6fab 100644
--- a/build/set_build_version.ts
+++ b/build/set_build_version.ts
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@ function getBuildChannel(): string {
   switch (versionInfo.prerelease?.[0]) {
     case "beta":
       return "beta";
+    case undefined:
+      return "latest";
     default:
       return "alpha";
   }
@@ -57,16 +59,16 @@ async function writeOutNewVersions() {
 }
 
 function main() {
-  if (versionInfo.prerelease && versionInfo.prerelease.length > 1) {
-    const prereleaseParts: string[] = [getBuildChannel()];
+  const prereleaseParts: string[] = [getBuildChannel()];
 
+  if (versionInfo.prerelease && versionInfo.prerelease.length > 1) {
     prereleaseParts.push(versionInfo.prerelease[1].toString());
-    prereleaseParts.push(buildNumber);
-    appInfo.version = `${versionInfo.major}.${versionInfo.minor}.${versionInfo.patch}-${prereleaseParts.join(".")}`;
-  } else {
-    appInfo.version = `${versionInfo.major}.${versionInfo.minor}.${versionInfo.patch}+${buildNumber}`;
   }
 
+  prereleaseParts.push(buildNumber);
+
+  appInfo.version = `${versionInfo.major}.${versionInfo.minor}.${versionInfo.patch}-${prereleaseParts.join(".")}`;
+
   writeOutNewVersions()
     .catch((error) => {
       console.error(error);
diff --git a/src/extensions/extension-discovery.ts b/src/extensions/extension-discovery.ts
index 9f2fe15067..85231cc88e 100644
--- a/src/extensions/extension-discovery.ts
+++ b/src/extensions/extension-discovery.ts
@@ -365,7 +365,13 @@ export class ExtensionDiscovery extends Singleton {
       let isCompatible = isBundled;
 
       if (manifest.engines?.lens) {
-        isCompatible = semver.satisfies(appSemVer, manifest.engines.lens);
+        const appSemVerLatestImplied = appSemVer;
+
+        if (appSemVerLatestImplied.prerelease?.[0] === "latest") {
+          /* remove the "latest" prerelease tag so as not to require the extension to specify it */
+          appSemVerLatestImplied.prerelease = [];
+        }
+        isCompatible = semver.satisfies(appSemVerLatestImplied, manifest.engines.lens);
       }
 
       return {