diff --git a/autorelease-travis.yml b/autorelease-travis.yml
index bbd4d90..e788623 100644
--- a/autorelease-travis.yml
+++ b/autorelease-travis.yml
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# AUTORELEASE v0.2.4.dev0
+# AUTORELEASE v0.2.6
 # for nonrelease, use @master
 # for release, use v${VERSION}, e.g., v1.0.0
 stages:
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ stages:
     - deploy pypi
 
 import:
-    - dwhswenson/autorelease:travis_stages/deploy_testpypi.yml@master
-    - dwhswenson/autorelease:travis_stages/test_testpypi.yml@master
-    - dwhswenson/autorelease:travis_stages/cut_release.yml@master
-    - dwhswenson/autorelease:travis_stages/deploy_pypi.yml@master
+    - dwhswenson/autorelease:travis_stages/deploy_testpypi.yml@v0.2.6
+    - dwhswenson/autorelease:travis_stages/test_testpypi.yml@v0.2.6
+    - dwhswenson/autorelease:travis_stages/cut_release.yml@v0.2.6
+    - dwhswenson/autorelease:travis_stages/deploy_pypi.yml@v0.2.6
diff --git a/autorelease/check_runners.py b/autorelease/check_runners.py
index eb3d70a..656f150 100644
--- a/autorelease/check_runners.py
+++ b/autorelease/check_runners.py
@@ -75,6 +75,8 @@ def _is_release_tests(self, expected):
 
     def _reasonable_desired_version_test(self, allow_equal,
                                          allow_patch_skip=False):
+        print("allow equal ", allow_equal)
+        print("allow patch skip", allow_patch_skip)
         return [
             (
                 self.git_repo_checks.reasonable_desired_version, [],
diff --git a/autorelease/gh_actions_stages/autorelease-default-env.sh b/autorelease/gh_actions_stages/autorelease-default-env.sh
index 74dd461..f1da159 100644
--- a/autorelease/gh_actions_stages/autorelease-default-env.sh
+++ b/autorelease/gh_actions_stages/autorelease-default-env.sh
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-INSTALL_AUTORELEASE="python -m pip install autorelease==0.2.3"
+INSTALL_AUTORELEASE="python -m pip install autorelease==0.2.6"
 if [ -f autorelease-env.sh ]; then
     source autorelease-env.sh
 fi
diff --git a/autorelease/git_repo_checks.py b/autorelease/git_repo_checks.py
index 5371a9b..f60d307 100644
--- a/autorelease/git_repo_checks.py
+++ b/autorelease/git_repo_checks.py
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ class GitReleaseChecks(object):
     def __init__(self, repo_path='.'):
         self.repo_path = repo_path
         self.repo = git.Repo(self.repo_path)
+        self.repo.remotes.origin.fetch()
         self.stable_branch = 'stable'
         self.dev_branch = 'master'
 
@@ -87,12 +88,17 @@ def reasonable_desired_version(self, desired_version, allow_equal=False,
         v_desired = vers.Version(desired_version)
         v_max = vers.Version(max_version)
 
-        if allow_equal and v_desired == v_max:
-            return ""
+        no_increase_str = ("Bad update: New version doesn't increase on "
+                           "last tag: " + update_str + "\n")
+
+        if v_desired == v_max:
+            if allow_equal:
+                return ""
+            else:
+                return no_increase_str
 
         if v_desired < v_max:
-            return ("Bad update: New version doesn't increase on last tag: "
-                    + update_str + "\n")
+            return no_increase_str
 
         bad_update = skipped_version((old_major, old_minor, old_patch),
                                      (new_major, new_minor, new_patch),
diff --git a/autorelease/script_utils.py b/autorelease/script_utils.py
index 4a7ac1c..deb13a3 100644
--- a/autorelease/script_utils.py
+++ b/autorelease/script_utils.py
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@ def guess_github_user(self):
     def repo(self):
         if self._repo is None and hasattr(self.opts, 'repo'):
             self._repo = git.Repo(self.opts.repo)
+            self._repo.remotes.origin.fetch()
         return self._repo
 
     @property
diff --git a/autorelease/scripts/release.py b/autorelease/scripts/release.py
index e4274c5..fff8ffe 100644
--- a/autorelease/scripts/release.py
+++ b/autorelease/scripts/release.py
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ def main():
     print(opts)
 
     repo = git.Repo(opts.repo)
+    repo.remotes.origin.fetch()
     owner, user, name = get_github_info(repo)
 
     if opts.repo_owner is not None:
diff --git a/devtools/conda-recipe/meta.yaml b/devtools/conda-recipe/meta.yaml
index 67f7278..8e62cd6 100644
--- a/devtools/conda-recipe/meta.yaml
+++ b/devtools/conda-recipe/meta.yaml
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 package:
   name: autorelease
   # add ".dev0" for unreleased versions
-  version: "0.2.5"
+  version: "0.2.6"
 
 source:
   path: ../../
diff --git a/setup.cfg b/setup.cfg
index f9adfee..f80d624 100644
--- a/setup.cfg
+++ b/setup.cfg
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [metadata]
 name = autorelease
-version = 0.2.5
+version = 0.2.6
 # version should end in .dev0 if this isn't to be released
 short_description = Tools to keep the release process clean.
 description = Tools to keep the release process clean.