diff --git a/action.yml b/action.yml
index 7861f24..8a9bff9 100644
--- a/action.yml
+++ b/action.yml
@@ -11,6 +11,10 @@ inputs:
     description: 'Versioning scheme - semver, or, calver (defaults to semver)'
     required: false
     default: 'semver'
+  pep440:
+    description: 'PEP440 compatibility mode - shifts the pre-release version information into build metadata instead'
+    required: false
+    default: false
   increment:
     description: |
       Field to increment - major, minor, or, patch (defaults to patch)
@@ -69,4 +73,5 @@ runs:
       env:
         current_version: ${{ steps.version-lookup.outputs.CURRENT_VERSION }}
         increment: ${{ inputs.increment }}
+        pep440: ${{ inputs.pep440 }}
         scheme: ${{ inputs.scheme }}
diff --git a/shared.sh b/shared.sh
index 4476f28..ee14092 100644
--- a/shared.sh
+++ b/shared.sh
@@ -16,8 +16,14 @@ pcre_old_calver='^(?P<major>0|[1-9]\d*)-0{0,1}(?P<minor>0|[0-9]\d*)-R(?P<patch>0
 
 input_errors='false'
 scheme="${scheme:-semver}"
-if [[ "${scheme}" != 'semver' && "${scheme}" != 'calver' && "${scheme}" != 'pep440' ]] ; then
-    echo "🛑 Value of 'scheme' is not valid, choose from 'semver', 'calver', or 'pep440'" 1>&2
+if [[ "${scheme}" != 'semver' && "${scheme}" != 'calver' ]] ; then
+    echo "🛑 Value of 'scheme' is not valid, choose from 'semver' or 'calver'" 1>&2
+    input_errors='true'
+fi
+
+pep440="${pep440:-false}"
+if [[ "${pep440}" != 'false' && "${pep440}" != 'true' ]] ; then
+    echo "🛑 Value of 'pep440' is not valid, choose from 'false' or 'true'" 1>&2
     input_errors='true'
 fi
 
diff --git a/tests/test_version-increment.bats b/tests/test_version-increment.bats
index 52512f0..b911f4e 100644
--- a/tests/test_version-increment.bats
+++ b/tests/test_version-increment.bats
@@ -53,6 +53,18 @@ function init_repo {
     [[ "$output" = *"Value of 'scheme' is not valid"* ]]
 }
 
+@test "fails if invalid value for pep440 given" {
+    init_repo
+
+    export pep440="yes"
+
+    run ../../version-increment.sh
+
+    print_run_info
+    [ "$status" -eq 8 ] &&
+    [[ "$output" = *"Value of 'pep440' is not valid"* ]]
+}
+
 @test "fails if invalid increment given" {
     init_repo
 
@@ -104,6 +116,23 @@ function init_repo {
     [[ "$output" = *"VERSION=1.3.0"* ]]
 }
 
+@test "increments the minor digit correctly (explicitly not pep440)" {
+    init_repo
+
+    export current_version=1.2.3
+    export pep404="false"
+    export increment="minor"
+
+    run ../../version-increment.sh
+
+    print_run_info
+    [ "$status" -eq 0 ] &&
+    [[ "$output" = *"MAJOR_VERSION=1"* ]] &&
+    [[ "$output" = *"MINOR_VERSION=3"* ]] &&
+    [[ "$output" = *"PATCH_VERSION=0"* ]] &&
+    [[ "$output" = *"VERSION=1.3.0"* ]]
+}
+
 @test "increments the major digit correctly (semver)" {
     init_repo
 
@@ -120,11 +149,11 @@ function init_repo {
     [[ "$output" = *"VERSION=2.0.0"* ]]
 }
 
-@test "increments the major digit correctly (pep440)" {
+@test "increments the major digit correctly (pep440 mode)" {
     init_repo
 
     export current_version=1.2.3
-    export scheme="pep440"
+    export pep404="true"
     export increment="major"
 
     run ../../version-increment.sh
@@ -199,7 +228,7 @@ function init_repo {
     init_repo
 
     export current_version=10.20.30
-    export scheme="pep440"
+    export pep440="true"
     export GITHUB_REF="refs/heads/super-awesome-python"
     export short_ref="$(git rev-parse --short HEAD | sed 's/0*//')"
 
diff --git a/version-increment.sh b/version-increment.sh
index 1c91ec4..e3ac75d 100755
--- a/version-increment.sh
+++ b/version-increment.sh
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ fi
 # add pre-release info to version if not the default branch
 if [[ "${current_ref}" != "refs/heads/${default_branch}" ]] ; then
     pre_release="pre.${git_commit}"
-    if [[ "${scheme}" == 'pep440' ]] ; then
+    if [[ "${pep440:-}" == 'true' ]] ; then
         new_version="${new_version}+${pre_release}"
     else
         new_version="${new_version}-${pre_release}"
diff --git a/version-lookup.sh b/version-lookup.sh
index 90da3be..45ed51c 100755
--- a/version-lookup.sh
+++ b/version-lookup.sh
@@ -53,9 +53,6 @@ if [[ -z "${current_version:-}" ]] ; then
         semver)
             current_version="0.0.0"
         ;;
-        pep440)
-            current_version="0.0.0"
-        ;;
         calver)
             current_version="$(date '+%Y.%-m.0')"
         ;;