diff --git a/browser/default_app/main.js b/browser/default_app/main.js
index 1db036e07a4b..3bfb5b510221 100644
--- a/browser/default_app/main.js
+++ b/browser/default_app/main.js
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ if (argv._.length > 0) {
     }
   }
 } else if (argv.version) {
-  console.log(process.versions['atom-shell']);
+  console.log('v' + process.versions['atom-shell']);
   process.exit(0);
 } else {
   require('./default_app.js');
diff --git a/script/upload.py b/script/upload.py
index 637feae82368..1e8168e9f2a2 100755
--- a/script/upload.py
+++ b/script/upload.py
@@ -36,6 +36,14 @@ def main():
     create_dist = os.path.join(SOURCE_ROOT, 'script', 'create-dist.py')
     subprocess.check_output([sys.executable, create_dist])
 
+  build_version = get_atom_shell_build_version()
+  if not ATOM_SHELL_VRESION.startswith(build_version):
+    error = 'Tag name ({0}) should match build version ({1})\n'.format(
+        ATOM_SHELL_VRESION, build_version)
+    sys.stderr.write(error)
+    sys.stderr.flush()
+    return 1
+
   # Upload atom-shell with GitHub Releases API.
   github = GitHub(auth_token())
   release_id = create_or_get_release_draft(github, args.version)
@@ -58,6 +66,16 @@ def parse_args():
   return parser.parse_args()
 
 
+def get_atom_shell_build_version():
+  if sys.platform == 'darwin':
+    atom_shell = os.path.join(SOURCE_ROOT, 'out', 'Debug', 'Atom.app',
+                              'Contents', 'MacOS', 'Atom')
+  else:
+    atom_shell = os.path.join(SOURCE_ROOT, 'out', 'Debug', 'atom.exe')
+
+  return subprocess.check_output([atom_shell, '--version']).strip()
+
+
 def dist_newer_than_head():
   with scoped_cwd(SOURCE_ROOT):
     try: