diff --git a/scripts/release.mjs b/scripts/release.mjs
index 1962f049..be8f5d6c 100644
--- a/scripts/release.mjs
+++ b/scripts/release.mjs
@@ -313,7 +313,17 @@ export const resolveReleaseVersion = ({
   }
 
   if (draftCandidate.targetCommitish === headSha) {
-    if (packageVersion !== expectedNextVersion) {
+    const expectedParts = expectedNextVersion.split(".").map(Number);
+    const packageParts = packageVersion.split(".").map(Number);
+    const bumpIndex = { major: 0, minor: 1, patch: 2 }[bump];
+    // Replacement Drafts reserve prior failed versions. They remain resumable
+    // when repeated bumps at the explicitly requested level reach this version.
+    const compatibleVersion = packageParts.length === 3 && packageParts.every((part, index) =>
+      Number.isInteger(part) && (index === bumpIndex
+        ? part >= expectedParts[index]
+        : part === expectedParts[index])
+    );
+    if (!compatibleVersion) {
       throw new Error(
         `${draftCandidate.tagName} cannot resume because --bump ${bump} expects v${expectedNextVersion}.`,
       );
diff --git a/scripts/release.test.mjs b/scripts/release.test.mjs
index 3acf9ad1..2e695375 100644
--- a/scripts/release.test.mjs
+++ b/scripts/release.test.mjs
@@ -406,6 +406,24 @@ describe("release automation", () => {
     });
   });
 
+  test("resumes replacement Drafts after earlier version numbers were reserved", () => {
+    for (const [bump, packageVersion] of [["patch", "1.17.2"], ["minor", "1.19.0"], ["major", "3.0.0"]]) {
+      const draftCandidate = {
+        tagName: `v${packageVersion}`, isDraft: true, isPrerelease: false,
+        targetCommitish: "current-head",
+      };
+      expect(resolveReleaseVersion({
+        previousVersion: "1.17.0", packageVersion, bump,
+        headSha: "current-head", draftCandidate,
+      })).toMatchObject({ releaseVersion: packageVersion, resumedDraft: draftCandidate, releaseBaseTag: "v1.17.0" });
+    }
+    expect(() => resolveReleaseVersion({
+      previousVersion: "1.17.0", packageVersion: "1.19.0", bump: "patch",
+      headSha: "current-head",
+      draftCandidate: { tagName: "v1.19.0", isDraft: true, isPrerelease: false, targetCommitish: "current-head" },
+    })).toThrow("cannot resume");
+  });
+
   test("reserves a withdrawn Draft version and keeps the published audit baseline", () => {
     const draftCandidate = {
       tagName: "v1.17.1",