diff --git a/.github/workflows/docs-preview.yml b/.github/workflows/docs-preview.yml
index f6b361836..756980b9c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/docs-preview.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/docs-preview.yml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ name: Build and preview docs
 on:
   push:
     branches-ignore:
-      - 'main'
+      - "main"
     tags-ignore:
       - v*
   pull_request:
@@ -19,25 +19,30 @@ jobs:
   build-docs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
-    - uses: actions/checkout@v6
-      with:
-        fetch-depth: 0
-    - uses: actions/setup-python@v6
-      with:
-        python-version-file: "pyproject.toml"
-
-    - name: Install uv
-      uses: astral-sh/setup-uv@08807647e7069bb48b6ef5acd8ec9567f424441b # v8.1.0
-
-    - name: Install Python dependencies
-      run: |
-        uv sync --locked --extra docs
-
-    - name: Test build docs
-      run: |
-        uv run make -C docs/ local
-
-    - uses: rossjrw/pr-preview-action@v1
-      with:
-        source-dir: docs/_build/dev
-      if: github.event_name == 'pull_request'
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v6
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 0
+
+      - uses: actions/setup-python@v6
+        if: github.event.action != 'closed' # We don't need the build if we know the preview will be removed
+        with:
+          python-version-file: "pyproject.toml"
+
+      - name: Install uv
+        if: github.event.action != 'closed' # We don't need the build if we know the preview will be removed
+        uses: astral-sh/setup-uv@08807647e7069bb48b6ef5acd8ec9567f424441b # v8.1.0
+
+      - name: Install Python dependencies
+        if: github.event.action != 'closed' # We don't need the build if we know the preview will be removed
+        run: |
+          uv sync --locked --extra docs
+
+      - name: Test build docs
+        if: github.event.action != 'closed' # We don't need the build if we know the preview will be removed
+        run: |
+          uv run make -C docs/ local
+
+      - uses: rossjrw/pr-preview-action@v1
+        with:
+          source-dir: docs/_build/dev
+        if: github.event_name == 'pull_request'
diff --git a/docs/conf.py b/docs/conf.py
index 703e86140..cab9cfe9c 100644
--- a/docs/conf.py
+++ b/docs/conf.py
@@ -34,25 +34,11 @@
     # process the loaded version information as you wish
     html_context = globals().get("html_context", {})
 
-    tag_revisions = [
-        rev
-        for rev in html_context["revisions"]
-        if rev.type_ == GitRefType.TAG and rev.name.startswith("v")
-    ]
-
-    latest = sorted(tag_revisions, key=lambda x: x.name)[
-        -1
-    ]  # latest by version
-
     if (
         html_context["current"].type_ == GitRefType.BRANCH
         and html_context["current"].name == "main"
     ):
-        major, minor, revision = latest.name.split("v")[-1].split(
-            "."
-        )  # get version number from tag name
-        next_dev_version = f"{major}.{minor}.{int(revision) + 1}.dev0"
-        release = next_dev_version
+        release = os.getenv("SETUPTOOLS_SCM_PRETEND_VERSION_FOR_JULEARN")
     else:
         release = html_context["current"].name
 
diff --git a/docs/poly.py b/docs/poly.py
index 7ddfcc70d..cf9f25141 100644
--- a/docs/poly.py
+++ b/docs/poly.py
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 )
 from sphinx_polyversion.pyvenv import Pip
 from sphinx_polyversion.setuptools_scm import SetuptoolsScmDriver
-from sphinx_polyversion.sphinx import SphinxBuilder
+from sphinx_polyversion.sphinx import Placeholder, SphinxBuilder
 
 
 #: Regex matching the branches to build docs for
@@ -69,9 +69,16 @@
 logger.info(f"Docs Source directory: {docs_src}")
 logger.info(f"Output directory: {out_dir}")
 
+
+# Command to ensure that the output directory is clean before building
+# (otherswise old files may remain if they were removed in the new version).
+pre_cmd = ["rm", "-r", Placeholder.OUTPUT_DIR]
+
 # Builders by version:
 BUILDER = {
-    None: SphinxBuilder(docs_src, args=SPHINX_ARGS.split()),  # default
+    None: SphinxBuilder(
+        docs_src, args=SPHINX_ARGS.split(), pre_cmd=pre_cmd
+    ),  # default
 }
 
 
@@ -311,6 +318,7 @@ def closest_tag(ref, tags) -> "str | None":
     logger.info(f"Updated TAG_REGEX to: {TAG_REGEX}")
 
 
+#
 #: Data passed to templates
 def data(driver, rev, env):
     """Create a factory for data passed to templates.
@@ -362,7 +370,7 @@ def root_data(driver):
     # static_dir=static_dir,
     data_factory=data,
     root_data_factory=root_data,
-).run()
+).run(sequential=SEQUENTIAL)
 
 if NO_PATCH:
     logger.info("NO_PATCH is set, skipping HTML patching.")
@@ -538,13 +546,11 @@ def ensure_css_link(directory: Path):
     if built_dir.is_dir():
         if built_dir.name.startswith("v"):
             logger.info(f"Patching built version directory: {built_dir.name}")
-            current_version = next(
-                [
-                    tag
-                    for tag in built_versions["tags"]
-                    if tag.name == built_dir.name
-                ]
-            )
+            current_version = [  # noqa: RUF015
+                tag
+                for tag in built_versions["tags"]
+                if tag.name == built_dir.name
+            ][0]
             if int(built_dir.name.split(".")[1]) < 3:
                 # Old read_the_docs template
                 version_rtd_html = versions_rtd_template.render(