diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index cda6f12..3d3fa10 100755
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-4.5.6-develop17
+4.5.6-develop18
diff --git a/scripts/pre-commit/increase_version.sh b/scripts/pre-commit/increase_version.sh
index bdd0b77..10b716c 100755
--- a/scripts/pre-commit/increase_version.sh
+++ b/scripts/pre-commit/increase_version.sh
@@ -9,72 +9,18 @@ fi
 # CI: For pull_request events, check if the PR itself changes VERSION.
 # If not, run the develop version updater. This avoids relying on staged files.
 if [[ "$IN_CI" == "true" ]]; then
-  BASE_REF="${GITHUB_BASE_REF:-}"
-
-  # If BASE_REF not provided (e.g., pre-commit.ci), try to infer it
-  if [[ -z "$BASE_REF" ]]; then
-    # First try to get the default branch
-    DEFAULT_BASE="$(git symbolic-ref -q --short refs/remotes/origin/HEAD 2>/dev/null | sed 's#^origin/##')"
-    if [[ -z "$DEFAULT_BASE" ]]; then
-      DEFAULT_BASE="$(git remote show origin 2>/dev/null | sed -n 's/.*HEAD branch: //p' | head -n1)"
-    fi
-
-    # If current branch contains "develop", assume base is "develop"
-    CURRENT_BRANCH_CI="${GITHUB_HEAD_REF:-$(git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD 2>/dev/null || echo '')}"
-    if [[ "$CURRENT_BRANCH_CI" == *"develop"* ]]; then
-      BASE_REF="develop"
-    elif grep -q "develop" VERSION 2>/dev/null; then
-      # If VERSION contains "develop" but branch doesn't, still assume base is "develop"
-      BASE_REF="develop"
-    else
-      BASE_REF="$DEFAULT_BASE"
-    fi
-  fi
-
-  # Resolve a usable base ref
-  CANDIDATES=()
-  if [[ -n "$BASE_REF" ]]; then
-    CANDIDATES+=("refs/remotes/origin/$BASE_REF")
-    CANDIDATES+=("refs/heads/$BASE_REF")
-  fi
-
-  BASE_RESOLVED=""
-  for ref in "${CANDIDATES[@]}"; do
-    if git rev-parse --verify -q "$ref" >/dev/null; then
-      BASE_RESOLVED="$ref"
-      break
-    fi
-  done
-
-  # Attempt to fetch the remote-tracking base if missing (handles shallow clones)
-  if [[ -z "$BASE_RESOLVED" && -n "$BASE_REF" ]]; then
-    git fetch --no-tags --depth=100 origin "refs/heads/$BASE_REF:refs/remotes/origin/$BASE_REF" >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
-    if git rev-parse --verify -q "refs/remotes/origin/$BASE_REF" >/dev/null; then
-      BASE_RESOLVED="refs/remotes/origin/$BASE_REF"
-    elif git rev-parse --verify -q "refs/heads/$BASE_REF" >/dev/null; then
-      BASE_RESOLVED="refs/heads/$BASE_REF"
-    fi
-  fi
-
-  if [[ -z "$BASE_RESOLVED" ]]; then
-    echo "Warning: Could not resolve PR base ref for '$BASE_REF'."
-    echo "Hint: ensure the base ref is available (e.g., full fetch)."
-    echo "Skipping version update because PR base could not be resolved."
-    exit 0
-  fi
-
   # Check if VERSION file contains "develop"
   if ! grep -q "develop" VERSION; then
     echo "VERSION file does not contain 'develop'. Skipping version update."
     exit 0
   fi
 
-  # If VERSION is the same as base branch, user didn't bump it, so we should update
-  if git diff --quiet "$BASE_RESOLVED" -- VERSION 2>/dev/null; then
-    echo "VERSION file is the same as in base branch ($BASE_RESOLVED). User didn't bump version, so updating develop version."
+  # Check if VERSION differs from develop branch
+  if git diff --quiet origin/develop...HEAD -- VERSION 2>/dev/null; then
+    echo "VERSION file is the same as in develop branch. User didn't bump version, so updating develop version."
     source "$(dirname "$0")/update_develop_version.sh"
   else
-    echo "VERSION file differs from base branch. User already bumped version. Skipping update."
+    echo "VERSION file differs from develop branch. User already bumped version. Skipping update."
   fi
   exit 0
 fi