diff --git a/.github/workflows/example-linux.yaml b/.github/workflows/example-linux.yaml
index f3767a6..2e2f461 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/example-linux.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/example-linux.yaml
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ on:
         type: string
         required: false
         description: "Version of YQ to install"
-        default: "v4.35.1"
       download-compressed:
         type: boolean
         required: false
diff --git a/.github/workflows/example-macos.yaml b/.github/workflows/example-macos.yaml
index 83f076b..df47029 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/example-macos.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/example-macos.yaml
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ on:
         type: string
         required: false
         description: "Version of YQ to install"
-        default: "v4.35.1"
       download-compressed:
         type: boolean
         required: false
diff --git a/.github/workflows/example-windows.yaml b/.github/workflows/example-windows.yaml
index 3af6010..b5680bd 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/example-windows.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/example-windows.yaml
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ on:
         type: string
         required: false
         description: "Version of YQ to install"
-        default: "v4.35.1"
       download-compressed:
         type: boolean
         required: false
@@ -31,6 +30,7 @@ jobs:
           force: '${{ inputs.force }}'
 
       - name: 'Check yq'
+        # language=powershell
         run: |
           Get-Command "yq.exe"
           yq.exe --version
diff --git a/.github/workflows/tests.yaml b/.github/workflows/tests.yaml
index fc8c63f..c8e3586 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/tests.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/tests.yaml
@@ -38,7 +38,11 @@ jobs:
         force:
           - 'true'
           - 'false'
-    name: "Test Action - (img: ${{ matrix.image }}; dlcmp: ${{ matrix.download-compressed }}; force: ${{ matrix.force }})"
+        version:
+          - ''
+          - 'v4.44.3'
+
+    name: "Test Action - (img: ${{ matrix.image }}; dlcmp: ${{ matrix.download-compressed }}; force: ${{ matrix.force }}; v: ${{ matrix.version }})"
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.image }}
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
@@ -49,6 +53,7 @@ jobs:
         with:
           force: '${{ matrix.force }}'
           download-compressed: '${{ matrix.download-compressed }}'
+          version: '${{ matrix.version }}'
 
       - name: Check yq - Unix-ish
         if: runner.os == 'Linux' || runner.os == 'macOS'
diff --git a/action.yaml b/action.yaml
index 3250bb4..d9a67bc 100644
--- a/action.yaml
+++ b/action.yaml
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ branding:
 
 inputs:
   version:
-    required: false
+    required: true
     description: "Version of YQ to install"
     default: "v4.44.3"
   download-compressed:
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ runs:
       id: yq-check-unix
       if: (runner.os == 'Linux' || runner.os == 'macOS')
       shell: bash +e {0}
+      # language=bash
       run: |
         _yq_bin="$(which yq)"
         if [ -f "${_yq_bin}" ]; then
@@ -55,6 +56,7 @@ runs:
       id: yq-check-windows
       if: runner.os == 'Windows'
       shell: powershell
+      # language=powershell
       run: |
         if (Get-Command "yq.exe" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue)
         {
diff --git a/scripts/unixish.sh b/scripts/unixish.sh
index 37d480a..3fa2d09 100755
--- a/scripts/unixish.sh
+++ b/scripts/unixish.sh
@@ -65,11 +65,18 @@ else
   _dl_path="$RUNNER_TEMP/${_root_name}/${_dl_name}"
 fi
 
-_dl_url="${_base_url}/$YQ_VERSION/${_dl_name}"
+# default to _something_...
+_version="${YQ_VERSION}"
+
+if [ -z "${YQ_VERSION}" ]; then
+  _version='v4.44.3'
+fi
+
+_dl_url="${_base_url}/${_version}/${_dl_name}"
 
 echo '::endgroup::'
 
-echo '::group::Downloading yq'
+echo "::group::Downloading yq ${_version}"
 
 echo "Src: ${_dl_url}"
 echo "Dst: ${_dl_path}"
diff --git a/scripts/windowsish.ps1 b/scripts/windowsish.ps1
index b4a5a89..da7d56e 100644
--- a/scripts/windowsish.ps1
+++ b/scripts/windowsish.ps1
@@ -41,13 +41,21 @@ else
     New-Item "$Env:RUNNER_TEMP\${_root_name}\" -ItemType Directory -Force
 }
 
-$_dl_url = "${_base_url}/$Env:YQ_VERSION/${_dl_name}"
+$_version = "$Env:YQ_VERSION"
+
+# default to _something_...
+if ($_version -eq "")
+{
+    $_version = "v4.44.3"
+}
+
+$_dl_url = "${_base_url}/${_version}/${_dl_name}"
 
 Write-Host "::endgroup::"
 
 # download artifact
 
-Write-Host "::group::Downloading yq"
+Write-Host "::group::Downloading yq ${_version}"
 
 Write-Host "Src: ${_dl_url}"
 Write-Host "Dst: ${_dl_path}"