diff --git a/tests/release-verification/run-negative-tests.sh b/tests/release-verification/run-negative-tests.sh
index 64128f3..861f999 100644
--- a/tests/release-verification/run-negative-tests.sh
+++ b/tests/release-verification/run-negative-tests.sh
@@ -63,4 +63,17 @@ fi
 echo "PASS: Wrong identity signature rejected."
 rm cosign.key cosign.pub fake.sig
 
+echo "Test 5: Real alpha.8 manifest fallback matching (verify-release against older release)"
+ALPHA8_ARCHIVE="alpha8-archive.tar.gz"
+wget -qO "$ALPHA8_ARCHIVE" https://github.com/ochenstarik-ui/server-monitor-manager/releases/download/v0.1.0-alpha.8/server-monitor-manager-linux-x64.tar.gz
+wget -qO server-monitor-manager-manifest.json https://github.com/ochenstarik-ui/server-monitor-manager/releases/download/v0.1.0-alpha.8/server-monitor-manager-manifest.json
+wget -qO server-monitor-manager-manifest.sig https://github.com/ochenstarik-ui/server-monitor-manager/releases/download/v0.1.0-alpha.8/server-monitor-manager-manifest.sig
+
+if ! ./ochenstarik-server-monitor-manager.sh verify-release "$ALPHA8_ARCHIVE" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+    echo "FAIL: Alpha.8 real release verification failed!"
+    exit 1
+fi
+echo "PASS: Alpha.8 real release verification succeeded."
+rm "$ALPHA8_ARCHIVE" server-monitor-manager-manifest.json server-monitor-manager-manifest.sig
+
 echo "All negative tests passed!"