diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index 90b2a03..02a9b03 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 # Project
-IMAGE_TAG=v1.7.0
+IMAGE_TAG=v1.7.3
 PROJECT_NAME=sample-website
 PROJECT_COLOR=#82ed20
 
diff --git a/.husky/pre-push b/.husky/pre-push
index 66f32e1..0d43bcf 100755
--- a/.husky/pre-push
+++ b/.husky/pre-push
@@ -7,8 +7,8 @@ do
     echo "🏷️ Tag detected: $TAG, syncing versions..."
     pnpm sync-versions "$TAG"
     
-    # Stage the changed files
-    git add package.json packages/*/package.json apps/*/package.json .env .env.example
+    # Stage the changed files (excluding ignored files like .env)
+    git add package.json packages/*/package.json apps/*/package.json .env.example
     
     echo "⚠️ package.json and .env files updated to match tag $TAG."
     echo "⚠️ Note: You might need to push again if these changes were not already in your commit/tag."
diff --git a/apps/sample-website/package.json b/apps/sample-website/package.json
index 62c6612..8c362cd 100644
--- a/apps/sample-website/package.json
+++ b/apps/sample-website/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "sample-website",
-  "version": "1.7.0",
+  "version": "1.7.3",
   "private": true,
   "type": "module",
   "scripts": {
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index d1d1b85..0c79613 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@
     "pino-pretty": "^13.1.3",
     "require-in-the-middle": "^8.0.1"
   },
-  "version": "1.7.0",
+  "version": "1.7.3",
   "pnpm": {
     "overrides": {
       "next": "16.1.6",
diff --git a/packages/cli/package.json b/packages/cli/package.json
index 78da308..20fb074 100644
--- a/packages/cli/package.json
+++ b/packages/cli/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@mintel/cli",
-  "version": "1.7.0",
+  "version": "1.7.3",
   "publishConfig": {
     "access": "public",
     "registry": "https://npm.infra.mintel.me"
diff --git a/packages/cms-infra/package.json b/packages/cms-infra/package.json
index 600aebc..55c7ac6 100644
--- a/packages/cms-infra/package.json
+++ b/packages/cms-infra/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@mintel/cms-infra",
-  "version": "1.7.0",
+  "version": "1.7.3",
   "private": true,
   "type": "module",
   "scripts": {
diff --git a/packages/customer-manager/package.json b/packages/customer-manager/package.json
index 81cecf9..0b9a1b3 100644
--- a/packages/customer-manager/package.json
+++ b/packages/customer-manager/package.json
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
   "name": "customer-manager",
   "description": "Custom High-Fidelity Customer & Company Management for Directus",
   "icon": "supervisor_account",
-  "version": "1.7.0",
+  "version": "1.7.3",
   "keywords": [
     "directus",
     "directus-extension",
diff --git a/packages/eslint-config/package.json b/packages/eslint-config/package.json
index c2b0969..16c6cbd 100644
--- a/packages/eslint-config/package.json
+++ b/packages/eslint-config/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@mintel/eslint-config",
-  "version": "1.7.0",
+  "version": "1.7.3",
   "publishConfig": {
     "access": "public",
     "registry": "https://npm.infra.mintel.me"
diff --git a/packages/feedback-commander/package.json b/packages/feedback-commander/package.json
index 115b392..23c3410 100644
--- a/packages/feedback-commander/package.json
+++ b/packages/feedback-commander/package.json
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
   "name": "@mintel/extension-feedback-commander",
   "description": "Custom High-Fidelity Feedback Management Extension for Directus",
   "icon": "view_kanban",
-  "version": "1.7.0",
+  "version": "1.7.3",
   "keywords": [
     "directus",
     "directus-extension",
diff --git a/packages/gatekeeper/package.json b/packages/gatekeeper/package.json
index 29d498e..fbaf203 100644
--- a/packages/gatekeeper/package.json
+++ b/packages/gatekeeper/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@mintel/gatekeeper",
-  "version": "1.7.0",
+  "version": "1.7.3",
   "private": true,
   "type": "module",
   "scripts": {
diff --git a/packages/husky-config/package.json b/packages/husky-config/package.json
index d377968..aae15f3 100644
--- a/packages/husky-config/package.json
+++ b/packages/husky-config/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@mintel/husky-config",
-  "version": "1.7.0",
+  "version": "1.7.3",
   "publishConfig": {
     "access": "public",
     "registry": "https://npm.infra.mintel.me"
diff --git a/packages/infra/package.json b/packages/infra/package.json
index 643fb12..5cc4e54 100644
--- a/packages/infra/package.json
+++ b/packages/infra/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@mintel/infra",
-  "version": "1.7.0",
+  "version": "1.7.3",
   "publishConfig": {
     "access": "public",
     "registry": "https://npm.infra.mintel.me"
diff --git a/packages/mail/package.json b/packages/mail/package.json
index 3f83d08..e2f6a23 100644
--- a/packages/mail/package.json
+++ b/packages/mail/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@mintel/mail",
-  "version": "1.7.0",
+  "version": "1.7.3",
   "private": false,
   "publishConfig": {
     "access": "public",
diff --git a/packages/next-config/package.json b/packages/next-config/package.json
index 687ed55..c0b49f2 100644
--- a/packages/next-config/package.json
+++ b/packages/next-config/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@mintel/next-config",
-  "version": "1.7.0",
+  "version": "1.7.3",
   "publishConfig": {
     "access": "public",
     "registry": "https://npm.infra.mintel.me"
diff --git a/packages/next-feedback/package.json b/packages/next-feedback/package.json
index c2bdd00..2b7b654 100644
--- a/packages/next-feedback/package.json
+++ b/packages/next-feedback/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@mintel/next-feedback",
-  "version": "1.7.0",
+  "version": "1.7.3",
   "publishConfig": {
     "access": "public",
     "registry": "https://npm.infra.mintel.me"
diff --git a/packages/next-observability/package.json b/packages/next-observability/package.json
index 72d9879..9163556 100644
--- a/packages/next-observability/package.json
+++ b/packages/next-observability/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@mintel/next-observability",
-  "version": "1.7.0",
+  "version": "1.7.3",
   "publishConfig": {
     "access": "public",
     "registry": "https://npm.infra.mintel.me"
diff --git a/packages/next-utils/package.json b/packages/next-utils/package.json
index 62fcb4f..550f2fb 100644
--- a/packages/next-utils/package.json
+++ b/packages/next-utils/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@mintel/next-utils",
-  "version": "1.7.3",
+  "version": "1.7.4",
   "publishConfig": {
     "access": "public",
     "registry": "https://npm.infra.mintel.me"
diff --git a/packages/next-utils/src/env.ts b/packages/next-utils/src/env.ts
index cf102cb..8ba28c2 100644
--- a/packages/next-utils/src/env.ts
+++ b/packages/next-utils/src/env.ts
@@ -52,7 +52,9 @@ export const mintelEnvSchema = {
 
 export function validateMintelEnv<
   T extends z.ZodRawShape = Record<string, never>,
->(schemaExtension: T = {} as T) {
+>(
+  schemaExtension: T = {} as T,
+): z.infer<z.ZodObject<typeof mintelEnvSchema & T>> {
   const fullSchema = z.object(mintelEnvSchema).extend(schemaExtension);
 
   const isBuildTime =
@@ -66,7 +68,7 @@ export function validateMintelEnv<
       console.warn(
         "⚠️ Some environment variables are missing during build, but skipping strict validation.",
       );
-      // Return process.env casted to the full schema type to unblock builds
+      // Return process.env casted to ensure types match for the full schema
       return process.env as unknown as z.infer<typeof fullSchema>;
     }
 
@@ -77,5 +79,5 @@ export function validateMintelEnv<
     throw new Error("Invalid environment variables");
   }
 
-  return result.data;
+  return result.data as z.infer<typeof fullSchema>;
 }
diff --git a/packages/observability/package.json b/packages/observability/package.json
index c6db21e..ce2a93b 100644
--- a/packages/observability/package.json
+++ b/packages/observability/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@mintel/observability",
-  "version": "1.7.0",
+  "version": "1.7.3",
   "publishConfig": {
     "access": "public",
     "registry": "https://npm.infra.mintel.me"
diff --git a/packages/tsconfig/package.json b/packages/tsconfig/package.json
index 9c7222c..6c6938f 100644
--- a/packages/tsconfig/package.json
+++ b/packages/tsconfig/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@mintel/tsconfig",
-  "version": "1.7.0",
+  "version": "1.7.3",
   "publishConfig": {
     "access": "public",
     "registry": "https://npm.infra.mintel.me"