diff --git a/src/mflux/release/pypi_publisher.py b/src/mflux/release/pypi_publisher.py
index df5f454..18cb99f 100644
--- a/src/mflux/release/pypi_publisher.py
+++ b/src/mflux/release/pypi_publisher.py
@@ -126,7 +126,12 @@ class PyPIPublisher:
                 comment="Automated release via mflux-release-script",
             )
 
-            dist_files = list(Path("dist").glob("*"))
+            # Only select valid distribution files (.whl and .tar.gz)
+            dist_files = []
+            dist_dir = Path("dist")
+            dist_files.extend(dist_dir.glob("*.whl"))
+            dist_files.extend(dist_dir.glob("*.tar.gz"))
+
             if not dist_files:
                 raise ValueError("No distribution files found in dist/")
 
diff --git a/src/mflux/release/release_manager.py b/src/mflux/release/release_manager.py
index 95f836c..89229bd 100644
--- a/src/mflux/release/release_manager.py
+++ b/src/mflux/release/release_manager.py
@@ -37,21 +37,21 @@ class ReleaseManager:
         if ReleaseManager._is_release_complete(git_tag_exists, github_release_exists):
             return
 
-        # 4. Create git tag if needed
-        if not git_tag_exists:
-            GitOperations.create_and_push_tag(tag_name, version)
-
-        # 5. Create GitHub release if needed
-        if not github_release_exists:
-            release_notes = ChangelogParser.extract_release_notes_from_changelog(version)
-            GitHubAPI.create_github_release(github_token, github_repo, tag_name, version, release_notes)
-
-        # 6. Handle PyPI publishing
+        # 4. Handle PyPI publishing FIRST (before creating git artifacts)
         if ReleaseManager._should_publish_to_pypi(git_tag_exists, github_release_exists, package_name, version):
             PyPIPublisher.build_and_verify_package()
             PyPIPublisher.publish_to_test_pypi(test_pypi_token, package_name, version)
             PyPIPublisher.publish_to_pypi(pypi_token, package_name, version)
 
+        # 5. Create git tag if needed
+        if not git_tag_exists:
+            GitOperations.create_and_push_tag(tag_name, version)
+
+        # 6. Create GitHub release if needed
+        if not github_release_exists:
+            release_notes = ChangelogParser.extract_release_notes_from_changelog(version)
+            GitHubAPI.create_github_release(github_token, github_repo, tag_name, version, release_notes)
+
         print(f"🎉 Release process completed successfully for version {version}!")
 
     @staticmethod