diff --git a/.circleci/check_version.py b/.circleci/check_version.py
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..e6bbb712c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.circleci/check_version.py
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+#!/usr/bin/python3
+import sys
+from typing import Optional
+from dataclasses import dataclass
+
+@dataclass
+class Version:
+    major: int
+    minor: int
+    patch: int
+    pre_release_tag: Optional[str] = None
+    build_number: Optional[int] = None
+
+    @property
+    def pre_release_priority(self) -> int:
+        if self.pre_release_tag == 'alpha':
+            return 1
+        if self.pre_release_tag == 'beta':
+            return 2
+        return 0
+
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def parse_version_slug(version_slug: str) -> "Version":
+        members = version_slug.split(".") 
+        assert(3 <= len(members) <= 4)
+        if len(members) == 3:
+            major, minor, patch = members
+            return Version(int(major), int(minor), int(patch))
+        
+        else:
+            major, minor, patch_and_pre, build = members
+            patch, pre = patch_and_pre.split("-")
+            return Version(int(major), int(minor), int(patch), pre, int(build))
+
+    def __gt__(self, other):
+        if not isinstance(other, Version):
+            raise ValueError(f'cannot compare with {other}') 
+        
+        if self.major > other.major:
+            return True
+        if self.major < other.major:
+            return False
+
+        if self.minor > other.minor:
+            return True
+        if self.minor < other.minor:
+            return False
+        
+        if self.patch > other.patch:
+            return True
+        if self.patch < other.patch:
+            return False
+
+        if self.pre_release_tag == other.pre_release_tag:
+            if self.build_number > other.build_number:
+                return True
+            if self.build_number < other.build_number:
+                return False
+
+        if self.pre_release_priority > other.pre_release_priority:
+            return True
+        if self.pre_release_priority < other.pre_release_priority:
+            return False
+        
+        return False
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    args = sys.argv[1:]
+    assert(len(args) == 2)
+
+    current_version_slug, target_version_slug = args
+
+    print(f"comparing current version {current_version_slug} with target {target_version_slug}")
+
+    current_version = Version.parse_version_slug(current_version_slug)
+    target_version = Version.parse_version_slug(target_version_slug)
+
+    if (target_version > current_version):
+        print("target version is newer")
+        exit(0)
+
+    print("current version is newer")    
+    exit(1)
diff --git a/.circleci/publish_helm_chart.sh b/.circleci/publish_helm_chart.sh
index ba5bf95b4..3ec08cbdf 100755
--- a/.circleci/publish_helm_chart.sh
+++ b/.circleci/publish_helm_chart.sh
@@ -10,6 +10,20 @@ git config --global user.email "devops+circleci@speckle.systems"
 git config --global user.name "CI"
 
 git clone git@github.com:specklesystems/helm.git ~/helm
+
+# before overwriting the chart with the build version, check if the current chart version
+# is not newer than the currently build one
+
+CURRENT_VERSION=(cat charts/speckle-server/Chart.yaml | grep ^version | grep -o '2\..*')
+echo ${CURRENT_VERSION}
+
+./check_version.py ${CURRENT_VERSION} ${RELEASE_VERSION}
+if [ $? -eq 1 ] 
+then 
+  echo "The current helm chart version is newer than the currently built. Exiting" 
+  exit 1
+fi
+
 rm -rf ~/helm/charts/speckle-server
 cp -r utils/helm/speckle-server ~/helm/charts/speckle-server