diff --git a/.changeset/shiny-games-buy.md b/.changeset/shiny-games-buy.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..d7946d65aad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/shiny-games-buy.md
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+---
+"@clerk/clerk-js": patch
+"@clerk/clerk-react": patch
+---
+
+Replace semver with custom regex in versionSelector
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 2e13204d4d4..13bfc30b5a6 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -37762,7 +37762,6 @@
         "eslint-config-custom": "*",
         "react-refresh": "^0.14.0",
         "react-refresh-typescript": "^2.0.5",
-        "semver": "^7.5.2",
         "ts-loader": "^9.3.0",
         "typescript": "*",
         "webpack": "^5.85.0",
@@ -38601,7 +38600,6 @@
         "@clerk/shared": "2.0.0-beta-v5.11",
         "@clerk/types": "4.0.0-beta-v5.13",
         "eslint-config-custom": "*",
-        "semver": "^7.5.4",
         "tslib": "2.4.1"
       },
       "devDependencies": {
diff --git a/packages/clerk-js/package.json b/packages/clerk-js/package.json
index e7f84ad54be..48011bce9e0 100644
--- a/packages/clerk-js/package.json
+++ b/packages/clerk-js/package.json
@@ -87,7 +87,6 @@
     "eslint-config-custom": "*",
     "react-refresh": "^0.14.0",
     "react-refresh-typescript": "^2.0.5",
-    "semver": "^7.5.2",
     "ts-loader": "^9.3.0",
     "typescript": "*",
     "webpack": "^5.85.0",
diff --git a/packages/react/package.json b/packages/react/package.json
index ce513f16a6a..db7c2a733fa 100644
--- a/packages/react/package.json
+++ b/packages/react/package.json
@@ -79,7 +79,6 @@
     "@clerk/shared": "2.0.0-beta-v5.11",
     "@clerk/types": "4.0.0-beta-v5.13",
     "eslint-config-custom": "*",
-    "semver": "^7.5.4",
     "tslib": "2.4.1"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
diff --git a/packages/react/src/utils/__tests__/versionSelector.test.ts b/packages/react/src/utils/__tests__/versionSelector.test.ts
index 4ad8d33f862..d600b325218 100644
--- a/packages/react/src/utils/__tests__/versionSelector.test.ts
+++ b/packages/react/src/utils/__tests__/versionSelector.test.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ describe('versionSelector', () => {
   it('should return the clerkJSVersion if it is provided', () => {
     expect(versionSelector('1.0.0')).toEqual('1.0.0');
   });
+
   it('should use the major version if there is no prerelease tag', () => {
     // @ts-ignore
     global.PACKAGE_VERSION = '1.0.0';
@@ -13,6 +14,7 @@ describe('versionSelector', () => {
 
     expect(versionSelector(undefined)).toEqual('1');
   });
+
   it('should use the prerelease tag when it is not snapshot', () => {
     // @ts-ignore
     global.PACKAGE_VERSION = '1.0.0-next.0';
@@ -21,6 +23,7 @@ describe('versionSelector', () => {
 
     expect(versionSelector(undefined)).toEqual('next');
   });
+
   it('should use the exact JS version if tag is snapshot', () => {
     // @ts-ignore
     global.PACKAGE_VERSION = '1.0.0-snapshot.0';
@@ -29,4 +32,25 @@ describe('versionSelector', () => {
 
     expect(versionSelector(undefined)).toEqual('2.0.0-snapshot.0');
   });
+
+  // We replaced semver with 2 custom regexes
+  // so we're testing the same cases as semver tests
+  // https://github.com/npm/node-semver/blob/main/test/functions/prerelease.js
+  // https://github.com/npm/node-semver/blob/main/test/functions/major.js
+  test.each([
+    ['1.2.3', 1],
+    [' 1.2.3 ', 1],
+    [' 2.2.3-4 ', 4],
+    [' 3.2.3-pre ', 'pre'],
+    ['v5.2.3', 5],
+    [' v8.2.3 ', 8],
+    ['\t13.2.3', 13],
+    ['1.2.2-alpha.1', 'alpha'],
+    ['1.2.2-beta.1', 'beta'],
+    ['1.2.2-rc.1', 'rc'],
+    ['1.2.2', 1],
+    ['1.2.2-pre', 'pre'],
+  ])('versionSelector(%s) should return %i', (version, expected) => {
+    expect(versionSelector(undefined, version)).toEqual(expected.toString());
+  });
 });
diff --git a/packages/react/src/utils/versionSelector.ts b/packages/react/src/utils/versionSelector.ts
index fdbbfc85f3c..6a07495706c 100644
--- a/packages/react/src/utils/versionSelector.ts
+++ b/packages/react/src/utils/versionSelector.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,3 @@
-import major from 'semver/functions/major';
-import prerelease from 'semver/functions/prerelease';
-
 /**
  * This version selector is a bit complicated, so here is the flow:
  * 1. Use the clerkJSVersion prop on the provider
@@ -8,14 +5,15 @@ import prerelease from 'semver/functions/prerelease';
  * 3. Use the prerelease tag of `@clerk/clerk-react`
  * 4. Fallback to the major version of `@clerk/clerk-react`
  * @param clerkJSVersion - The optional clerkJSVersion prop on the provider
+ * @param packageVersion - The version of `@clerk/clerk-react` that will be used if an explicit version is not provided
  * @returns The npm tag, version or major version to use
  */
-export const versionSelector = (clerkJSVersion: string | undefined) => {
+export const versionSelector = (clerkJSVersion: string | undefined, packageVersion = PACKAGE_VERSION) => {
   if (clerkJSVersion) {
     return clerkJSVersion;
   }
 
-  const prereleaseTag = getPrereleaseTag(PACKAGE_VERSION);
+  const prereleaseTag = getPrereleaseTag(packageVersion);
   if (prereleaseTag) {
     if (prereleaseTag === 'snapshot') {
       return JS_PACKAGE_VERSION;
@@ -24,8 +22,13 @@ export const versionSelector = (clerkJSVersion: string | undefined) => {
     return prereleaseTag;
   }
 
-  return getMajorVersion(PACKAGE_VERSION);
+  return getMajorVersion(packageVersion);
 };
 
-const getPrereleaseTag = (packageVersion: string) => prerelease(packageVersion)?.[0].toString();
-const getMajorVersion = (packageVersion: string) => major(packageVersion).toString();
+const getPrereleaseTag = (packageVersion: string) =>
+  packageVersion
+    .trim()
+    .replace(/^v/, '')
+    .match(/-(.+?)(\.|$)/)?.[1];
+
+const getMajorVersion = (packageVersion: string) => packageVersion.trim().replace(/^v/, '').split('.')[0];