diff --git a/.github/workflows/reusable_e2e.yaml b/.github/workflows/reusable_e2e.yaml
index 8b3c22e0..c92bfe1b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/reusable_e2e.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/reusable_e2e.yaml
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ jobs:
         if: ${{ inputs.mirrord_release_branch }}
         run: |
           chmod u+x mirrord
-          echo "${GITHUB_WORKSPACE}" >> "$GITHUB_PATH"
+          echo "${GITHUB_WORKSPACE}" >> $GITHUB_PATH
 
       - name: get the latest mirrord binary
         if: ${{ !inputs.mirrord_release_branch }}
@@ -112,7 +112,8 @@ jobs:
             ./gradlew test
 
       - name: Save the failure video
-        if: ${{ failure() }}
+        continue-on-error: true
+        if: ${{ always() }}
         run: |
           mv video build/reports
       - name: Save fails report
diff --git a/changelog.d/+auto-update-and-ci.internal.md b/changelog.d/+auto-update-and-ci.internal.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ba09f1a8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/+auto-update-and-ci.internal.md
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Remove quotes around GITHUB_PATH in e2e and add "CI_BUILD_PLUGIN" check to e2e for releases
diff --git a/changelog.d/+provide-video.internal.md b/changelog.d/+provide-video.internal.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c9035aab
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/+provide-video.internal.md
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Always provide video for CI run
diff --git a/modules/core/src/main/kotlin/com/metalbear/mirrord/MirrordBinaryManager.kt b/modules/core/src/main/kotlin/com/metalbear/mirrord/MirrordBinaryManager.kt
index 4515b7dc..e5e95ad7 100644
--- a/modules/core/src/main/kotlin/com/metalbear/mirrord/MirrordBinaryManager.kt
+++ b/modules/core/src/main/kotlin/com/metalbear/mirrord/MirrordBinaryManager.kt
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 package com.metalbear.mirrord
 
+import com.github.zafarkhaja.semver.Version
 import com.intellij.execution.wsl.WSLDistribution
 import com.intellij.notification.NotificationType
 import com.intellij.openapi.components.Service
@@ -35,6 +36,7 @@ private const val DOWNLOAD_ENDPOINT = "https://github.com/metalbear-co/mirrord/r
 class MirrordBinaryManager {
     @Volatile
     private var latestSupportedVersion: String? = null
+    private var downloadVersion: String? = null
 
     /**
      * Schedules the update task at project startup.
@@ -78,13 +80,14 @@ class MirrordBinaryManager {
 
             val autoUpdate = MirrordSettingsState.instance.mirrordState.autoUpdate
             val userSelectedMirrordVersion = MirrordSettingsState.instance.mirrordState.mirrordVersion
+            manager.latestSupportedVersion = manager.fetchLatestSupportedVersion(product, indicator)
 
             val version = when {
                 // auto update -> false -> use mirrordVersion if it's not empty
-                !autoUpdate && userSelectedMirrordVersion.isNotEmpty() -> {
-                    if (checkVersionFormat(userSelectedMirrordVersion)) {
-                        userSelectedMirrordVersion
-                    } else {
+                !autoUpdate && (userSelectedMirrordVersion.isNotEmpty()) -> {
+                    try {
+                        Version.valueOf(userSelectedMirrordVersion)
+                    } catch (e: Exception) {
                         project
                             .service<MirrordProjectService>()
                             .notifier
@@ -92,13 +95,14 @@ class MirrordBinaryManager {
                             .fire()
                         return
                     }
+                    userSelectedMirrordVersion
                 }
                 // auto update -> false -> mirrordVersion is empty -> needs check in the path
                 // if not in path -> fetch latest version
                 !autoUpdate && userSelectedMirrordVersion.isEmpty() -> null
 
                 // auto update -> true -> fetch latest version
-                else -> manager.fetchLatestSupportedVersion(product, indicator)
+                else -> manager.latestSupportedVersion
             }
 
             val local = if (checkInPath) {
@@ -111,9 +115,9 @@ class MirrordBinaryManager {
                 return
             }
 
-            manager.latestSupportedVersion = version
-                // auto update -> false -> mirrordVersion is empty -> no cli found locally -> fetch latest version
-                ?: manager.fetchLatestSupportedVersion(product, indicator)
+            manager.downloadVersion = version
+                // auto update -> false -> mirrordVersion is empty -> no cli found locally -> latest version
+                ?: manager.latestSupportedVersion
 
             if (downloadInProgress.compareAndExchange(false, true)) {
                 return
@@ -148,14 +152,6 @@ class MirrordBinaryManager {
                     )
             }
         }
-
-        /**
-         * checks if the passed version string matches *.*.* format (numbers only)
-         * @param version version string to check
-         * */
-        fun checkVersionFormat(version: String): Boolean {
-            return version.matches(Regex("^[0-9]+\\.[0-9]+\\.[0-9]+$"))
-        }
     }
 
     private fun fetchLatestSupportedVersion(product: String?, indicator: ProgressIndicator): String {
@@ -192,7 +188,7 @@ class MirrordBinaryManager {
     }
 
     private fun updateBinary(indicator: ProgressIndicator) {
-        val version = latestSupportedVersion ?: return
+        val version = downloadVersion ?: return
 
         val url = if (SystemInfo.isMac) {
             "$DOWNLOAD_ENDPOINT/$version/mirrord_mac_universal"
@@ -283,7 +279,19 @@ class MirrordBinaryManager {
             }
 
             val binary = MirrordBinary(output, wslDistribution)
-            if (requiredVersion == null || requiredVersion == binary.version) {
+
+            val isRequiredVersion = try {
+                // for release CI, the tag can be greater than the latest release
+                if (System.getenv("CI_BUILD_PLUGIN") == "true") {
+                    Version.valueOf(binary.version).greaterThanOrEqualTo(Version.valueOf(requiredVersion))
+                } else {
+                    Version.valueOf(binary.version).equals(Version.valueOf(requiredVersion))
+                }
+            } catch (e: Exception) {
+                MirrordLogger.logger.debug("failed to parse version", e)
+                false
+            }
+            if (requiredVersion == null || isRequiredVersion) {
                 return binary
             }
         } catch (e: Exception) {
@@ -300,14 +308,19 @@ class MirrordBinaryManager {
         try {
             MirrordPathManager.getBinary(CLI_BINARY, true)?.let {
                 val binary = MirrordBinary(it, wslDistribution)
-                if (requiredVersion == null || requiredVersion == binary.version) {
+                val isRequiredVersion = try {
+                    Version.valueOf(binary.version).equals(Version.valueOf(requiredVersion))
+                } catch (e: Exception) {
+                    MirrordLogger.logger.debug("failed to parse version", e)
+                    false
+                }
+                if (requiredVersion == null || isRequiredVersion) {
                     return binary
                 }
             }
         } catch (e: Exception) {
             MirrordLogger.logger.debug("failed to find mirrord in plugin storage", e)
         }
-
         return null
     }