diff --git a/.claude-plugin/marketplace.json b/.claude-plugin/marketplace.json
index c11177f..5c9f24f 100644
--- a/.claude-plugin/marketplace.json
+++ b/.claude-plugin/marketplace.json
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@
     {
       "name": "compound-engineering",
       "description": "AI-powered development tools that get smarter with every use. Make each unit of engineering work easier than the last.",
-      "version": "2.42.0",
       "author": {
         "name": "Kieran Klaassen",
         "url": "https://github.com/kieranklaassen",
@@ -33,7 +32,6 @@
     {
       "name": "coding-tutor",
       "description": "Personalized coding tutorials that build on your existing knowledge and use your actual codebase for examples. Includes spaced repetition quizzes to reinforce learning. Includes 3 commands and 1 skill.",
-      "version": "1.2.1",
       "author": {
         "name": "Nityesh Agarwal"
       },
diff --git a/src/release/metadata.ts b/src/release/metadata.ts
index bdb4669..9fe90e2 100644
--- a/src/release/metadata.ts
+++ b/src/release/metadata.ts
@@ -198,20 +198,14 @@ export async function syncReleaseMetadata(options: SyncOptions = {}): Promise<Me
 
   for (const plugin of marketplaceClaude.plugins) {
     if (plugin.name === "compound-engineering") {
-      if (plugin.version !== expectedCompoundVersion) {
-        plugin.version = expectedCompoundVersion
-        changed = true
-      }
       if (plugin.description !== compoundMarketplaceDescription) {
         plugin.description = compoundMarketplaceDescription
         changed = true
       }
     }
-
-    if (plugin.name === "coding-tutor" && plugin.version !== expectedCodingTutorVersion) {
-      plugin.version = expectedCodingTutorVersion
-      changed = true
-    }
+    // Plugin versions are not synced in marketplace.json -- the canonical
+    // version lives in each plugin's own plugin.json. Duplicating versions
+    // here creates drift that release-please can't maintain.
   }
 
   updates.push({ path: marketplaceClaudePath, changed })
diff --git a/tests/release-preview.test.ts b/tests/release-preview.test.ts
index 0b3e5e2..ff51d06 100644
--- a/tests/release-preview.test.ts
+++ b/tests/release-preview.test.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 import { describe, expect, test } from "bun:test"
-import { buildReleasePreview } from "../src/release/components"
+import { buildReleasePreview, bumpVersion, loadCurrentVersions } from "../src/release/components"
 
 describe("release preview", () => {
   test("uses changed files to determine affected components and next versions", async () => {
+    const versions = await loadCurrentVersions()
     const preview = await buildReleasePreview({
       title: "fix: adjust ce:plan-beta wording",
       files: ["plugins/compound-engineering/skills/ce-plan-beta/SKILL.md"],
@@ -11,10 +12,11 @@ describe("release preview", () => {
     expect(preview.components).toHaveLength(1)
     expect(preview.components[0].component).toBe("compound-engineering")
     expect(preview.components[0].inferredBump).toBe("patch")
-    expect(preview.components[0].nextVersion).toBe("2.42.1")
+    expect(preview.components[0].nextVersion).toBe(bumpVersion(versions["compound-engineering"], "patch"))
   })
 
   test("supports per-component overrides without affecting unrelated components", async () => {
+    const versions = await loadCurrentVersions()
     const preview = await buildReleasePreview({
       title: "fix: update coding tutor prompts",
       files: ["plugins/coding-tutor/README.md"],
@@ -27,7 +29,7 @@ describe("release preview", () => {
     expect(preview.components[0].component).toBe("coding-tutor")
     expect(preview.components[0].inferredBump).toBe("patch")
     expect(preview.components[0].effectiveBump).toBe("minor")
-    expect(preview.components[0].nextVersion).toBe("1.3.0")
+    expect(preview.components[0].nextVersion).toBe(bumpVersion(versions["coding-tutor"], "minor"))
   })
 
   test("docs-only changes remain non-releasable by default", async () => {