diff --git a/great_docs/_versioning.py b/great_docs/_versioning.py
index 87f20a9d..8a2dee90 100644
--- a/great_docs/_versioning.py
+++ b/great_docs/_versioning.py
@@ -108,6 +108,11 @@ def _resolve_index(tag: str, versions: list[VersionEntry]) -> int | None:
     for v in versions:
         if v.tag == tag:
             return v._index
+    # Fallback: try stripping or adding 'v' prefix
+    alt = tag[1:] if tag.startswith("v") else f"v{tag}"
+    for v in versions:
+        if v.tag == alt:
+            return v._index
     return None
 
 
diff --git a/tests/test_versioning.py b/tests/test_versioning.py
index 15a21320..0a178431 100644
--- a/tests/test_versioning.py
+++ b/tests/test_versioning.py
@@ -183,6 +183,30 @@ def test_dev_tag(self, versions):
         assert evaluate_version_expr("dev", "dev", versions) is True
         assert evaluate_version_expr("dev", "0.3", versions) is False
 
+    def test_v_prefix_in_expr(self, versions):
+        """Tags with v prefix match versions configured without it."""
+        assert evaluate_version_expr("v0.2", "0.2", versions) is True
+        assert evaluate_version_expr(">=v0.2", "0.3", versions) is True
+        assert evaluate_version_expr(">=v0.2", "0.1", versions) is False
+
+    def test_v_prefix_in_target(self, versions):
+        """Target tag with v prefix matches configured bare tag."""
+        assert evaluate_version_expr("0.2", "v0.2", versions) is True
+        assert evaluate_version_expr(">=0.2", "v0.3", versions) is True
+
+    def test_v_prefix_on_configured_tags(self):
+        """Bare tags in content match v-prefixed configured tags."""
+        vers = parse_versions_config(
+            [
+                {"tag": "v0.3", "label": "0.3.0"},
+                {"tag": "v0.2", "label": "0.2.0"},
+                {"tag": "v0.1", "label": "0.1.0"},
+            ]
+        )
+        assert evaluate_version_expr("0.2", "v0.2", vers) is True
+        assert evaluate_version_expr(">=0.2", "v0.3", vers) is True
+        assert evaluate_version_expr("0.2", "0.2", vers) is True
+
 
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # process_version_fences