diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yaml b/.github/workflows/release.yaml
index d50de6b8e..0695eb99b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yaml
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
       - uses: ammaraskar/sphinx-action@master
         with:
-          pre-build-command: "apt-get update -y && apt-get install -y latexmk texlive-latex-recommended texlive-latex-extra texlive-fonts-recommended && pip install -e ."
+          pre-build-command: "apt-get update -y && apt-get install -y latexmk texlive-latex-recommended texlive-latex-extra texlive-fonts-recommended"
           build-command: "make latexpdf"
           docs-folder: "docs"
       - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
diff --git a/docs/source/conf.py b/docs/source/conf.py
index 40bbd027d..d213d627a 100644
--- a/docs/source/conf.py
+++ b/docs/source/conf.py
@@ -1,7 +1,13 @@
 from datetime import date
 
-from iblrig import __version__
-
+try:
+    from iblrig import __version__
+except ModuleNotFoundError:
+    import sys
+    from pathlib import Path
+    _BASE_DIR = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[2]
+    sys.path.append(str(_BASE_DIR))
+    from iblrig import __version__
 
 project = 'iblrig'
 copyright = f'2018 – {date.today().year} International Brain Laboratory'