diff --git a/docs/community/contributing.md b/docs/community/contributing.md
index 9f0bbfb497..792c90a984 100644
--- a/docs/community/contributing.md
+++ b/docs/community/contributing.md
@@ -370,9 +370,9 @@ If the users have no way to know that things have changed, then you haven't real
 Likewise, if users don't know that there is a new feature that you've implemented, it will forever remain unknown and unused.
 
 The documentation has to be updated for users to know that things have been changed and added!
-If you are adding a new feature, add `(vMERMAID_RELEASE_VERSION+)` in the title or description. It will be replaced automatically with the current version number when the release happens.
+If you are adding a new feature, add `(v<MERMAID_RELEASE_VERSION>+)` in the title or description. It will be replaced automatically with the current version number when the release happens.
 
-eg: `# Feature Name (vMERMAID_RELEASE_VERSION+)`
+eg: `# Feature Name (v<MERMAID_RELEASE_VERSION>+)`
 
 We know it can sometimes be hard to code _and_ write user documentation.
 
diff --git a/packages/mermaid/scripts/update-release-version.mts b/packages/mermaid/scripts/update-release-version.mts
index 970bef1d36..0459d34443 100644
--- a/packages/mermaid/scripts/update-release-version.mts
+++ b/packages/mermaid/scripts/update-release-version.mts
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
  * So contributors adding new features will only have to add the placeholder and not worry about updating the version number.
  *
  */
-import { writeFile } from 'fs/promises';
+import { readFile, writeFile } from 'fs/promises';
 import { posix } from 'path';
 import {
   getFilesFromGlobs,
@@ -18,7 +18,18 @@ import {
 const verifyOnly: boolean = process.argv.includes('--verify');
 const versionPlaceholder = '<MERMAID_RELEASE_VERSION>';
 
+const verifyDocumentation = async () => {
+  const fileContent = await readFile('./src/docs/community/contributing.md', 'utf-8');
+  if (!fileContent.includes(versionPlaceholder)) {
+    console.error(
+      `The placeholder ${versionPlaceholder} is not present in the contributing.md file.`
+    );
+    process.exit(1);
+  }
+};
+
 const main = async () => {
+  await verifyDocumentation();
   const sourceDirGlob = posix.join('.', SOURCE_DOCS_DIR, '**');
   const mdFileGlobs = getGlobs([posix.join(sourceDirGlob, '*.md')]);
   mdFileGlobs.push('!**/community/contributing.md');
diff --git a/packages/mermaid/src/docs/community/contributing.md b/packages/mermaid/src/docs/community/contributing.md
index 1521c7acee..4cd6495634 100644
--- a/packages/mermaid/src/docs/community/contributing.md
+++ b/packages/mermaid/src/docs/community/contributing.md
@@ -371,9 +371,9 @@ If the users have no way to know that things have changed, then you haven't real
 Likewise, if users don't know that there is a new feature that you've implemented, it will forever remain unknown and unused.
 
 The documentation has to be updated for users to know that things have been changed and added!
-If you are adding a new feature, add `(vMERMAID_RELEASE_VERSION+)` in the title or description. It will be replaced automatically with the current version number when the release happens.
+If you are adding a new feature, add `(v<MERMAID_RELEASE_VERSION>+)` in the title or description. It will be replaced automatically with the current version number when the release happens.
 
-eg: `# Feature Name (vMERMAID_RELEASE_VERSION+)`
+eg: `# Feature Name (v<MERMAID_RELEASE_VERSION>+)`
 
 We know it can sometimes be hard to code _and_ write user documentation.