diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-container-image.yml b/.github/workflows/build-container-image.yml
index 1b15d1988..8e9c74766 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-container-image.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-container-image.yml
@@ -8,7 +8,9 @@ on:
         type: boolean
       push_to_images:
         type: string
-      version_suffix:
+      version_prerelease:
+        type: string
+      version_metadata:
         type: string
       flavor:
         type: string
@@ -83,7 +85,7 @@ jobs:
       - uses: docker/build-push-action@v4
         with:
           context: .
-          build-args: MASTODON_VERSION_SUFFIX=${{ inputs.version_suffix }}
+          build-args: MASTODON_VERSION_PRERELEASE=${{ inputs.version_prerelease }} MASTODON_VERSION_METADATA=${{ inputs.version_metadata }}
           platforms: ${{ inputs.platforms }}
           provenance: false
           builder: ${{ steps.buildx.outputs.name || steps.buildx-native.outputs.name }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-nightly.yml b/.github/workflows/build-nightly.yml
index 5b34c1c3c..5feb2ade3 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-nightly.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-nightly.yml
@@ -16,9 +16,9 @@ jobs:
         env:
           TZ: Etc/UTC
         run: |
-          echo mastodon_version_suffix=nightly.$(date +'%Y-%m-%d')>> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+          echo mastodon_version_prerelease=nightly.$(date +'%Y-%m-%d')>> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
     outputs:
-      suffix: ${{ steps.version_vars.outputs.mastodon_version_suffix }}
+      prerelease: ${{ steps.version_vars.outputs.mastodon_version_prerelease }}
 
   build-image:
     needs: compute-suffix
@@ -29,8 +29,7 @@ jobs:
       push_to_images: |
         tootsuite/mastodon
         ghcr.io/mastodon/mastodon
-      # The `-` is important here, result will be v4.1.2-nightly.2022-03-05
-      version_suffix: -${{ needs.compute-suffix.outputs.suffix }}
+      version_prerelease: ${{ needs.compute-suffix.outputs.prerelease }}
       labels: |
         org.opencontainers.image.description=Nightly build image used for testing purposes
       flavor: |
@@ -38,5 +37,5 @@ jobs:
       tags: |
         type=raw,value=edge
         type=raw,value=nightly
-        type=schedule,pattern=${{ needs.compute-suffix.outputs.suffix }}
+        type=schedule,pattern=${{ needs.compute-suffix.outputs.prerelease }}
     secrets: inherit
diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-push-pr.yml b/.github/workflows/build-push-pr.yml
index 2d2026128..b95e3c14e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-push-pr.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-push-pr.yml
@@ -21,9 +21,9 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/checkout@v3
       - id: version_vars
         run: |
-          echo mastodon_version_suffix=+pr-${{ github.event.pull_request.number }}-$(git rev-parse --short HEAD) >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+          echo mastodon_version_metadata=pr-${{ github.event.pull_request.number }}-$(git rev-parse --short HEAD) >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
     outputs:
-      suffix: ${{ steps.version_vars.outputs.mastodon_version_suffix }}
+      metadata: ${{ steps.version_vars.outputs.mastodon_version_metadata }}
 
   build-image:
     needs: compute-suffix
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ jobs:
       use_native_arm64_builder: true
       push_to_images: |
         ghcr.io/mastodon/mastodon
-      version_suffix: ${{ needs.compute-suffix.outputs.suffix }}
+      version_metadata: ${{ needs.compute-suffix.outputs.metadata }}
       flavor: |
         latest=auto
       tags: |
diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index cb5096581..cdabc4c7c 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -42,8 +42,8 @@ RUN apt-get update && \
 FROM node:${NODE_VERSION}
 
 # Use those args to specify your own version flags & suffixes
-ARG MASTODON_VERSION_FLAGS=""
-ARG MASTODON_VERSION_SUFFIX=""
+ARG MASTODON_VERSION_PRERELEASE=""
+ARG MASTODON_VERSION_METADATA=""
 
 ARG UID="991"
 ARG GID="991"
@@ -89,8 +89,8 @@ ENV RAILS_ENV="production" \
     NODE_ENV="production" \
     RAILS_SERVE_STATIC_FILES="true" \
     BIND="0.0.0.0" \
-    MASTODON_VERSION_FLAGS="${MASTODON_VERSION_FLAGS}" \
-    MASTODON_VERSION_SUFFIX="${MASTODON_VERSION_SUFFIX}"
+    MASTODON_VERSION_PRERELEASE="${MASTODON_VERSION_PRERELEASE}" \
+    MASTODON_VERSION_METADATA="${MASTODON_VERSION_METADATA}"
 
 # Set the run user
 USER mastodon
diff --git a/lib/mastodon/version.rb b/lib/mastodon/version.rb
index e3347ca17..c542d5d49 100644
--- a/lib/mastodon/version.rb
+++ b/lib/mastodon/version.rb
@@ -16,12 +16,16 @@ module Mastodon
       0
     end
 
-    def flags
-      ENV['MASTODON_VERSION_FLAGS'].presence || '-beta2'
+    def default_prerelease
+      'beta2'
     end
 
-    def suffix
-      ENV.fetch('MASTODON_VERSION_SUFFIX', '')
+    def prerelease
+      ENV['MASTODON_VERSION_PRERELEASE'].presence || default_prerelease
+    end
+
+    def build_metadata
+      ENV.fetch('MASTODON_VERSION_METADATA', nil)
     end
 
     def to_a
@@ -29,7 +33,10 @@ module Mastodon
     end
 
     def to_s
-      [to_a.join('.'), flags, suffix].join
+      components = [to_a.join('.')]
+      components << "-#{prerelease}" if prerelease.present?
+      components << "+#{build_metadata}" if build_metadata.present?
+      components.join
     end
 
     def repository