diff --git a/scripts/increment-cargo-version.sh b/scripts/increment-cargo-version.sh
index 6c5872130..0f4ce527f 100755
--- a/scripts/increment-cargo-version.sh
+++ b/scripts/increment-cargo-version.sh
@@ -58,8 +58,13 @@ major)
 minor)
   MINOR=$((MINOR+ 1))
   ;;
--[A-Za-z0-9]*$)
-  SPECIAL="$1"
+-*)
+  if [[ $1 =~ ^-[A-Za-z0-9]*$ ]]; then
+    SPECIAL="$1"
+  else
+    echo "Error: Unsupported characters found in $1"
+    exit 1
+  fi
   ;;
 *)
   echo "Error: unknown argument: $1"