diff --git a/.github/scripts/check_public_api.py b/.github/scripts/check_public_api.py
index 7b276890..702abf17 100644
--- a/.github/scripts/check_public_api.py
+++ b/.github/scripts/check_public_api.py
@@ -9,16 +9,11 @@
 from pathlib import Path
 from typing import Iterable
 
-try:
-    import griffe
-except ImportError:  # pragma: no cover - exercised only when dependencies are missing.
-    print("griffe is required; install dev dependencies first.", file=sys.stderr)
-    raise
-
 ROOT = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[2]
 SNAPSHOT_PATH = ROOT / "references" / "public_api_snapshot.txt"
 PUBLIC_SPECIAL_NAMES = {"__version__"}
 EXCLUDED_MODULE_PREFIXES = ("posthog.test",)
+ATTRIBUTE_VALUE_PLACEHOLDERS = {"posthog.version.VERSION": "<version>"}
 
 HEADER = """# This file is generated by .github/scripts/check_public_api.py.
 # Run `make public_api_snapshot` after an intentional public API change.
@@ -142,6 +137,7 @@ def _attribute_details(obj: object) -> str:
 
     value = getattr(obj, "value", None)
     if value is not None:
+        value = ATTRIBUTE_VALUE_PLACEHOLDERS.get(_object_path(obj), value)
         parts.append(f" = {value}")
 
     return "".join(parts)
@@ -207,7 +203,17 @@ def _iter_module_members(module: object) -> Iterable[object]:
             yield from _iter_class_members(member)
 
 
+def _load_griffe():
+    try:
+        import griffe
+    except ImportError:  # pragma: no cover
+        print("griffe is required; install dev dependencies first.", file=sys.stderr)
+        raise
+    return griffe
+
+
 def generate_snapshot() -> str:
+    griffe = _load_griffe()
     package = griffe.load(
         "posthog",
         allow_inspection=False,
diff --git a/.github/scripts/test_check_public_api.py b/.github/scripts/test_check_public_api.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6fade7b4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/scripts/test_check_public_api.py
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+"""Tests for check_public_api.py."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import importlib.util
+from pathlib import Path
+from types import SimpleNamespace
+
+
+SCRIPT_PATH = Path(__file__).with_name("check_public_api.py")
+
+
+def load_check_public_api():
+    spec = importlib.util.spec_from_file_location("check_public_api", SCRIPT_PATH)
+    assert spec is not None
+    assert spec.loader is not None
+
+    module = importlib.util.module_from_spec(spec)
+    spec.loader.exec_module(module)
+    return module
+
+
+def test_attribute_details_uses_placeholder_values() -> None:
+    check_public_api = load_check_public_api()
+
+    for path, placeholder in check_public_api.ATTRIBUTE_VALUE_PLACEHOLDERS.items():
+        obj = SimpleNamespace(path=path, annotation=None, value='"7.19.1"')
+        assert check_public_api._attribute_details(obj) == f"{path} = {placeholder}"
+
+
+def main() -> int:
+    test_attribute_details_uses_placeholder_values()
+    print("check_public_api tests passed.")
+    return 0
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    raise SystemExit(main())
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 5fccec51..4b3f5e6c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ jobs:
 
             - name: Check public API snapshot
               run: |
+                  python .github/scripts/test_check_public_api.py
                   make public_api_check
 
     package-build:
diff --git a/posthog/test/conftest.py b/posthog/test/conftest.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1aa9d03f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/posthog/test/conftest.py
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import pytest
+
+import posthog.client as client_module
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(autouse=True)
+def disable_client_atexit_join(monkeypatch):
+    monkeypatch.setattr(client_module.atexit, "register", lambda *args, **kwargs: None)
diff --git a/references/public_api_snapshot.txt b/references/public_api_snapshot.txt
index e6645985..2ba8a253 100644
--- a/references/public_api_snapshot.txt
+++ b/references/public_api_snapshot.txt
@@ -685,7 +685,7 @@ attribute posthog.utils.RedisFlagCache.stale_ttl = stale_ttl
 attribute posthog.utils.RedisFlagCache.version_key = f'{key_prefix}version'
 attribute posthog.utils.SizeLimitedDict.max_size = max_size
 attribute posthog.utils.log = logging.getLogger('posthog')
-attribute posthog.version.VERSION = '7.19.1'
+attribute posthog.version.VERSION = <version>
 class posthog.Posthog 
 class posthog.ai.anthropic.anthropic.Anthropic(posthog_client: Optional[PostHogClient] = None, **kwargs)
 class posthog.ai.anthropic.anthropic.WrappedMessages