diff --git a/.github/workflows/components.yaml b/.github/workflows/components.yaml
index 0a5e418ab..f0e796887 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/components.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/components.yaml
@@ -89,17 +89,14 @@ jobs:
       - name: CTF
         run: |
           cd components/${{ matrix.component }}
-          ARGS="PATH=$PATH:$(go env GOPATH)/bin CTF_TYPE=${{ env.CTF_TYPE }}"
-          if [ -n "${{ inputs.effective-version }}" ]; then
-            ARGS="$ARGS EFFECTIVE_VERSION=${{ inputs.effective-version }}"
-          fi
-          if [ -n "${{ env.PLATFORMS }}" ]; then
-            ARGS="$ARGS PLATFORMS=${{ env.PLATFORMS }}"
-          fi
-          if [ -n "${{ env.IMAGE_PLATFORMS }}" ]; then
-            ARGS="$ARGS IMAGE_PLATFORMS=${{ env.IMAGE_PLATFORMS }}"
-          fi
-          $ARGS make ctf descriptor describe
+          
+          PATH=$PATH:$(go env GOPATH)/bin \
+          CTF_TYPE=${{ env.CTF_TYPE }} \
+          EFFECTIVE_VERSION=${{ inputs.effective-version }} \
+          PLATFORMS="${{ env.PLATFORMS }}" \
+          IMAGE_PLATFORMS="${{ env.IMAGE_PLATFORMS }}" \
+          make \
+            ctf descriptor describe
       - name: Upload CTF
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
         with:
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 405434ff3..c5d202b4d 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -3,7 +3,12 @@ REPO_ROOT                                      := $(shell dirname $(realpath $(l
 GITHUBORG                                      ?= open-component-model
 OCMREPO                                        ?= ghcr.io/$(GITHUBORG)/ocm
 VERSION                                        := $(shell go run api/version/generate/release_generate.go print-rc-version $(CANDIDATE))
+COMMIT                                         = $(shell git rev-parse HEAD)
+# if EFFECTIVE_VERSION is not set, set it to VERSION+HEAD
+# this is not the same as '?=' because it will also set the value if EFFECTIVE_VERSION is set to an empty string
+ifeq ($(EFFECTIVE_VERSION),)
 EFFECTIVE_VERSION                              := $(VERSION)+$(shell git rev-parse HEAD)
+endif
 GIT_TREE_STATE                                 := $(shell [ -z "$$(git status --porcelain 2>/dev/null)" ] && echo clean || echo dirty)
 COMMIT                                         := $(shell git rev-parse --verify HEAD)
 
diff --git a/components/demoplugin/Makefile b/components/demoplugin/Makefile
index 024e92fb2..211a852e9 100644
--- a/components/demoplugin/Makefile
+++ b/components/demoplugin/Makefile
@@ -9,7 +9,11 @@ CTF_TYPE ?= directory
 REPO_ROOT                                      := $(shell dirname $(realpath $(lastword $(MAKEFILE_LIST))))/../..
 VERSION                                        = $(shell go run ../../api/version/generate/release_generate.go print-rc-version $(CANDIDATE))
 COMMIT                                         = $(shell git rev-parse HEAD)
-EFFECTIVE_VERSION                              ?= $(VERSION)+$(COMMIT)
+# if EFFECTIVE_VERSION is not set, set it to VERSION+COMMIT
+# this is not the same as '?=' because it will also set the value if EFFECTIVE_VERSION is set to an empty string
+ifeq ($(EFFECTIVE_VERSION),)
+EFFECTIVE_VERSION                              := $(VERSION)+$(COMMIT)
+endif
 GIT_TREE_STATE                                 := $(shell [ -z "$$(git status --porcelain 2>/dev/null)" ] && echo clean || echo dirty)
 
 CMDSRCS=$(shell find $(REPO_ROOT)/cmds/$(NAME) -type f)
diff --git a/components/ecrplugin/Makefile b/components/ecrplugin/Makefile
index cb0f76802..f5e8c2714 100644
--- a/components/ecrplugin/Makefile
+++ b/components/ecrplugin/Makefile
@@ -10,7 +10,11 @@ CTF_TYPE ?= directory
 REPO_ROOT                                      := $(shell dirname $(realpath $(lastword $(MAKEFILE_LIST))))/../..
 VERSION                                        = $(shell go run ../../api/version/generate/release_generate.go print-rc-version $(CANDIDATE))
 COMMIT                                         = $(shell git rev-parse HEAD)
-EFFECTIVE_VERSION                              ?= $(VERSION)+$(COMMIT)
+# if EFFECTIVE_VERSION is not set, set it to VERSION+COMMIT
+# this is not the same as '?=' because it will also set the value if EFFECTIVE_VERSION is set to an empty string
+ifeq ($(EFFECTIVE_VERSION),)
+EFFECTIVE_VERSION                              := $(VERSION)+$(COMMIT)
+endif
 GIT_TREE_STATE                                 := $(shell [ -z "$$(git status --porcelain 2>/dev/null)" ] && echo clean || echo dirty)
 
 CMDSRCS=$(shell find $(REPO_ROOT)/cmds/$(NAME) -type f)
diff --git a/components/helmdemo/Makefile b/components/helmdemo/Makefile
index 34da222a3..2f49401ff 100644
--- a/components/helmdemo/Makefile
+++ b/components/helmdemo/Makefile
@@ -10,7 +10,11 @@ HELMINSTCOMP = $(PROVIDER)/toi/installers/helminstaller
 REPO_ROOT                                     := $(shell dirname $(realpath $(lastword $(MAKEFILE_LIST))))/../..
 VERSION                                        = $(shell go run ../../api/version/generate/release_generate.go print-rc-version $(CANDIDATE))
 COMMIT                                         = $(shell git rev-parse HEAD)
-EFFECTIVE_VERSION                             ?= $(VERSION)-$(COMMIT)
+# if EFFECTIVE_VERSION is not set, set it to VERSION-COMMIT
+# this is not the same as '?=' because it will also set the value if EFFECTIVE_VERSION is set to an empty string
+ifeq ($(EFFECTIVE_VERSION),)
+EFFECTIVE_VERSION                              := $(VERSION)-$(COMMIT)
+endif
 HELMINSTVERSION                               ?= $(VERSION)
 
 CREDS ?=
diff --git a/components/helminstaller/Makefile b/components/helminstaller/Makefile
index 0b5dd01f9..cc51f01a8 100644
--- a/components/helminstaller/Makefile
+++ b/components/helminstaller/Makefile
@@ -11,7 +11,11 @@ CTF_TYPE ?= directory
 REPO_ROOT                                      := $(shell dirname $(realpath $(lastword $(MAKEFILE_LIST))))/../..
 VERSION                                        := $(shell go run ../../api/version/generate/release_generate.go print-rc-version $(CANDIDATE))
 COMMIT                                         := $(shell git rev-parse --verify HEAD)
-EFFECTIVE_VERSION                              ?= $(VERSION)-$(COMMIT)
+# if EFFECTIVE_VERSION is not set, set it to VERSION-COMMIT
+# this is not the same as '?=' because it will also set the value if EFFECTIVE_VERSION is set to an empty string
+ifeq ($(EFFECTIVE_VERSION),)
+EFFECTIVE_VERSION                              := $(VERSION)-$(COMMIT)
+endif
 GIT_TREE_STATE                                 := $(shell [ -z "$$(git status --porcelain 2>/dev/null)" ] && echo clean || echo dirty)
 PLATFORM                                       := $(shell go env GOOS)/$(shell go env GOARCH)
 CACHE_DIR									  := $(shell go env GOCACHE)
diff --git a/components/ocmcli/Makefile b/components/ocmcli/Makefile
index 2ac1c8f94..3dd4df1cb 100644
--- a/components/ocmcli/Makefile
+++ b/components/ocmcli/Makefile
@@ -14,7 +14,11 @@ REPO_ROOT                                      := $(dir $(realpath $(lastword $(
 GIT_TREE_STATE                                 = $(shell [ -z "$$(git status --porcelain 2>/dev/null)" ] && echo clean || echo dirty)
 VERSION                                        = $(shell go run ../../api/version/generate/release_generate.go print-rc-version $(CANDIDATE))
 COMMIT                                         = $(shell git rev-parse HEAD)
-EFFECTIVE_VERSION                              ?= $(VERSION)+$(COMMIT)
+# if EFFECTIVE_VERSION is not set, set it to VERSION+COMMIT
+# this is not the same as '?=' because it will also set the value if EFFECTIVE_VERSION is set to an empty string
+ifeq ($(EFFECTIVE_VERSION),)
+EFFECTIVE_VERSION                              := $(VERSION)+$(COMMIT)
+endif
 PLATFORM_OS                                    := $(shell go env GOOS)
 PLATFORM_ARCH                                  := $(shell go env GOARCH)
 
diff --git a/components/subchartsdemo/Makefile b/components/subchartsdemo/Makefile
index 59f424806..fef4796dd 100644
--- a/components/subchartsdemo/Makefile
+++ b/components/subchartsdemo/Makefile
@@ -15,7 +15,11 @@ REPO_ROOT                                     := $(shell dirname $(realpath $(la
 GIT_TREE_STATE                                 = $(shell [ -z "$$(git status --porcelain 2>/dev/null)" ] && echo clean || echo dirty)
 VERSION                                        = $(shell go run $(REPO_ROOT)/api/version/generate/release_generate.go print-rc-version $(CANDIDATE))
 COMMIT                                         = $(shell git rev-parse HEAD)
-EFFECTIVE_VERSION                             ?= $(VERSION)-$(COMMIT)
+# if EFFECTIVE_VERSION is not set, set it to VERSION-COMMIT
+# this is not the same as '?=' because it will also set the value if EFFECTIVE_VERSION is set to an empty string
+ifeq ($(EFFECTIVE_VERSION),)
+EFFECTIVE_VERSION                              := $(VERSION)-$(COMMIT)
+endif
 HELMINSTVERSION                               ?= $(VERSION)
 
 CREDS ?=