diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 307c608..be3ae29 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -155,7 +155,10 @@ the files a bump changes, and writes the version in `_write-version`; copy
 
 - `just merge [TITLE]`: pushes the current feature branch (also when origin
   does not have it yet), opens the pull request and turns on auto-merge. It
-  refuses a changed version and a title starting with `release `.
+  refuses a changed version and a title starting with `release `. A
+  repository without a version, whose `main` is the publication (a content
+  site, a plugin marketplace), passes `-` as version file and has no release
+  recipes.
 - `just release-patch`: the next version is computed from the version on
   `origin/main`, so a second run on the same branch does not bump twice. The
   release commit `release <name> v<x>` holds only the listed files and sits on
diff --git a/scripts/pr.sh b/scripts/pr.sh
index 8ae229e..ddbbe55 100755
--- a/scripts/pr.sh
+++ b/scripts/pr.sh
@@ -5,11 +5,12 @@
 # script at IronFlock/workflows@v1 and runs it, so the flow is the same
 # everywhere (see "Pull requests from a laptop" in the README).
 #
-#   pr.sh merge <version-file> [<title>]
+#   pr.sh merge <version-file|-> [<title>]
 #       a no-release pull request from the current feature branch (pushed even
 #       if origin does not have it yet), titled <title> (default: the subject
 #       of the branch's first commit), merged automatically (squash) once the
-#       required checks pass. The version must equal main's, and the title must
+#       required checks pass. The version must equal main's (`-`: a repository
+#       without a version, whose main is the publication), and the title must
 #       not start with "release ": such a merge releases nothing.
 #
 #   pr.sh release <patch|minor|major> <name> <version-file> <workflow> <file>...
@@ -100,7 +101,7 @@ leave_branch() {
 }
 
 cmd_merge() {
-  [ $# -ge 1 ] || die "usage: pr.sh merge <version-file> [<title>]"
+  [ $# -ge 1 ] || die "usage: pr.sh merge <version-file|-> [<title>]"
   local vf=$1 title=${2:-} branch here there
   branch=$(git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD)
   if [ "$branch" = main ] || [ "$branch" = HEAD ]; then
@@ -110,10 +111,12 @@ cmd_merge() {
   git fetch --quiet origin main
   git merge-base --is-ancestor origin/main HEAD ||
     die "merge: $branch does not contain origin/main (git rebase origin/main)"
-  here=$(version "$vf")
-  there=$(version "$vf" origin/main)
-  [ "$here" = "$there" ] ||
-    die "merge: $branch changes the version ($there -> $here): that is a release (just release-patch)"
+  if [ "$vf" != - ]; then
+    here=$(version "$vf")
+    there=$(version "$vf" origin/main)
+    [ "$here" = "$there" ] ||
+      die "merge: $branch changes the version ($there -> $here): that is a release (just release-patch)"
+  fi
   [ -n "$title" ] || title=$(git log --reverse --format=%s origin/main..HEAD | head -n1)
   [ -n "$title" ] || die "merge: no commits on $branch beyond main"
   if release_title "$title"; then
diff --git a/scripts/test_pr.sh b/scripts/test_pr.sh
index 705ff88..938059f 100755
--- a/scripts/test_pr.sh
+++ b/scripts/test_pr.sh
@@ -120,6 +120,13 @@ expect "merge: squash auto-merge" logged "gh pr merge feat --squash --auto --del
 check "merge: an existing pull request is reused" 0 merge VERSION "docs: another title"
 expect "merge: no second pull request" not_logged "gh pr create"
 
+setup VERSION 1.2.3
+git -C "$repo" rm -q VERSION
+git -C "$repo" commit -q -m "a repository without a version"
+# stdin holds a version: read as a file name, '-' would compare it with main's.
+check "merge: '-' for a repository without a version file" 0 merge - <<<"9.9.9"
+expect "merge: '-' still opens the pull request" logged "gh pr create --base main --head feat"
+
 setup VERSION 1.2.3
 git -C "$repo" switch -q main
 check "merge: refused on main" 1 merge VERSION