diff --git a/duckdb_packaging/setuptools_scm_version.py b/duckdb_packaging/setuptools_scm_version.py
index 51c3f01a..4891b12a 100644
--- a/duckdb_packaging/setuptools_scm_version.py
+++ b/duckdb_packaging/setuptools_scm_version.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 
 import os
 import re
+from datetime import datetime, timezone
 from typing import Protocol
 
 # Import from our own versioning module to avoid duplication
@@ -72,15 +73,19 @@ def _bump_dev_version(base_version: str, distance: int) -> str:
         raise ValueError(msg)
     major, minor, patch, post, rc = parse_version(base_version)
 
+    # Use date-based versioning for dev builds (YYYYMMDD format)
+    # This allows daily nightlies even without code changes
+    date_suffix = datetime.now(timezone.utc).strftime("%Y%m%d")
+
     if post != 0:
         # We're developing on top of a post-release
-        return f"{format_version(major, minor, patch, post=post + 1)}.dev{distance}"
+        return f"{format_version(major, minor, patch, post=post + 1)}.dev{date_suffix}"
     elif rc != 0:
         # We're developing on top of an rc
-        return f"{format_version(major, minor, patch, rc=rc + 1)}.dev{distance}"
+        return f"{format_version(major, minor, patch, rc=rc + 1)}.dev{date_suffix}"
     elif _main_branch_versioning():
-        return f"{format_version(major, minor + 1, 0)}.dev{distance}"
-    return f"{format_version(major, minor, patch + 1)}.dev{distance}"
+        return f"{format_version(major, minor + 1, 0)}.dev{date_suffix}"
+    return f"{format_version(major, minor, patch + 1)}.dev{date_suffix}"
 
 
 def forced_version_from_env() -> str:
diff --git a/tests/fast/test_versioning.py b/tests/fast/test_versioning.py
index d21052c8..64003e11 100644
--- a/tests/fast/test_versioning.py
+++ b/tests/fast/test_versioning.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 import os
 import subprocess
 import unittest
+from datetime import datetime, timezone
 from unittest.mock import MagicMock, patch
 
 import pytest
@@ -108,6 +109,17 @@ def test_roundtrip_conversion(self):
 class TestSetupToolsScmIntegration(unittest.TestCase):
     """Test setuptools_scm integration functions."""
 
+    def _verify_date_suffix(self, version_string: str) -> None:
+        """Helper to verify the date suffix in a dev version is today's date."""
+        date_part = version_string.split(".dev")[1]
+        assert len(date_part) == 8, f"Date part should be 8 digits, got {len(date_part)}"
+        assert date_part.isdigit(), f"Date part should be all digits, got {date_part}"
+
+        # Parse the date and verify it's today
+        parsed_date = datetime.strptime(date_part, "%Y%m%d").date()
+        today = datetime.now(timezone.utc).date()
+        assert parsed_date == today, f"Date {parsed_date} should be today {today}"
+
     def test_bump_version_exact_tag(self):
         """Test bump_version with exact tag (distance=0, dirty=False)."""
         assert _tag_to_version("1.2.3") == "1.2.3"
@@ -116,15 +128,21 @@ def test_bump_version_exact_tag(self):
     @patch.dict("os.environ", {"MAIN_BRANCH_VERSIONING": "1"})
     def test_bump_version_with_distance(self):
         """Test bump_version with distance from tag."""
-        assert _bump_dev_version("1.2.3", 5) == "1.3.0.dev5"
+        result = _bump_dev_version("1.2.3", 5)
+        assert result.startswith("1.3.0.dev")
+        self._verify_date_suffix(result)
 
         # Post-release development
-        assert _bump_dev_version("1.2.3.post1", 3) == "1.2.3.post2.dev3"
+        result = _bump_dev_version("1.2.3.post1", 3)
+        assert result.startswith("1.2.3.post2.dev")
+        self._verify_date_suffix(result)
 
     @patch.dict("os.environ", {"MAIN_BRANCH_VERSIONING": "0"})
     def test_bump_version_release_branch(self):
         """Test bump_version on bugfix branch."""
-        assert _bump_dev_version("1.2.3", 5) == "1.2.4.dev5"
+        result = _bump_dev_version("1.2.3", 5)
+        assert result.startswith("1.2.4.dev")
+        self._verify_date_suffix(result)
 
     @patch.dict("os.environ", {"MAIN_BRANCH_VERSIONING": "1"})
     def test_bump_version_dirty(self):
@@ -142,7 +160,8 @@ def test_version_scheme_function(self):
         mock_version.dirty = False
 
         result = version_scheme(mock_version)
-        assert result == "1.3.0.dev5"
+        assert result.startswith("1.3.0.dev")
+        self._verify_date_suffix(result)
 
     def test_bump_version_invalid_format(self):
         """Test bump_version with invalid version format."""