diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 3e22b5f0..5cc4cc91 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -88,6 +88,12 @@ version_scheme = "duckdb_packaging.setuptools_scm_version:version_scheme"
 local_scheme = "no-local-version"
 fallback_version = "0.0.1.dev1"
 
+# main only: count dev distance from the last *minor* tag (v*.*.0), so a patch
+# tag (e.g. v1.5.4) merged in from a release branch can't reset .devN.
+# Release branches must NOT have this, they correctly count from v*.*.* (the default).
+[tool.setuptools_scm.scm.git]
+describe_command = "git describe --dirty --tags --long --abbrev=40 --match v*.*.0"
+
 # Override: if COVERAGE is set then:
 # - we create a RelWithDebInfo build
 # - we make sure we use a persistent build dir so we get access to the .gcda files