diff --git a/scripts/check_deployment.py b/scripts/check_deployment.py
index 145a881..becb750 100755
--- a/scripts/check_deployment.py
+++ b/scripts/check_deployment.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ Usage:
 
 import argparse
 import json
+import os
 import random
 import ssl
 import subprocess
@@ -58,7 +59,14 @@ def colored_print(message: str, color: str = Colors.NC) -> None:
 
 
 def get_current_commit_hash() -> Optional[str]:
-    """Get the current commit hash from git."""
+    """Get the current commit hash from git or CI environment."""
+    # First try GitLab CI environment variable (most reliable in CI)
+    ci_commit = os.environ.get("CI_COMMIT_SHA")
+    if ci_commit:
+        colored_print(f"Using CI commit hash: {ci_commit}", Colors.BLUE)
+        return ci_commit
+    
+    # Fallback to git command
     try:
         result = subprocess.run(
             ["git", "rev-parse", "HEAD"],
@@ -66,8 +74,11 @@ def get_current_commit_hash() -> Optional[str]:
             text=True,
             check=True,
         )
-        return result.stdout.strip()
+        commit_hash = result.stdout.strip()
+        colored_print(f"Using git commit hash: {commit_hash}", Colors.BLUE)
+        return commit_hash
     except (subprocess.CalledProcessError, FileNotFoundError):
+        colored_print("Could not determine current commit hash", Colors.RED)
         return None
 
 
@@ -81,16 +92,44 @@ def is_commit_newer_or_equal(commit1: str, commit2: str) -> Optional[bool]:
         None if comparison fails
     """
     try:
-        # Use git merge-base to check if commit1 is reachable from commit2
-        # If commit1 is newer or equal, it should be reachable from commit2
-        subprocess.run(
-            ["git", "merge-base", "--is-ancestor", commit2, commit1],
-            capture_output=True,
-            check=True,
-        )
-        return True
+        # First try to get commit timestamps for comparison
+        try:
+            result1 = subprocess.run(
+                ["git", "show", "-s", "--format=%ct", commit1],
+                capture_output=True,
+                text=True,
+                check=True,
+            )
+            result2 = subprocess.run(
+                ["git", "show", "-s", "--format=%ct", commit2],
+                capture_output=True,
+                text=True,
+                check=True,
+            )
+            
+            timestamp1 = int(result1.stdout.strip())
+            timestamp2 = int(result2.stdout.strip())
+            
+            colored_print(f"Commit {commit1[:8]} timestamp: {timestamp1}", Colors.BLUE)
+            colored_print(f"Commit {commit2[:8]} timestamp: {timestamp2}", Colors.BLUE)
+            
+            # commit1 is newer if it has a later timestamp
+            return timestamp1 >= timestamp2
+            
+        except (subprocess.CalledProcessError, ValueError):
+            # Fallback to merge-base if timestamp comparison fails
+            colored_print("Timestamp comparison failed, trying merge-base", Colors.YELLOW)
+            
+            # Use git merge-base to check if commit2 is ancestor of commit1
+            subprocess.run(
+                ["git", "merge-base", "--is-ancestor", commit2, commit1],
+                capture_output=True,
+                check=True,
+            )
+            return True
+            
     except subprocess.CalledProcessError:
-        # If the above fails, try the reverse - check if commit2 is newer
+        # If the above fails, try the reverse
         try:
             subprocess.run(
                 ["git", "merge-base", "--is-ancestor", commit1, commit2],
@@ -99,8 +138,11 @@ def is_commit_newer_or_equal(commit1: str, commit2: str) -> Optional[bool]:
             )
             return False
         except subprocess.CalledProcessError:
-            # If both fail, we can't determine the relationship
+            colored_print("Git comparison failed - shallow clone or missing commits", Colors.YELLOW)
             return None
+    except Exception as e:
+        colored_print(f"Git comparison error: {e}", Colors.RED)
+        return None
 
 
 def make_request(
@@ -348,16 +390,27 @@ def test_deployment(
             version_ok = True
             
             if current_commit and deployed_commit != "Unknown":
+                colored_print(f"Expected commit: {current_commit[:8]}...", Colors.BLUE)
+                colored_print(f"Deployed commit: {deployed_commit[:8]}...", Colors.BLUE)
+                
                 if deployed_commit == current_commit:
                     colored_print(
                         "✅ Exact version match - deployment is up to date!",
                         Colors.GREEN,
                     )
+                elif deployed_commit.startswith(current_commit[:8]) or current_commit.startswith(deployed_commit[:8]):
+                    # Handle case where we have short vs long commit hashes
+                    colored_print(
+                        "✅ Version match (short hash) - deployment is up to date!",
+                        Colors.GREEN,
+                    )
                 else:
-                    # Check if deployed version is newer
+                    # Check if deployed version is newer using git
                     comparison = is_commit_newer_or_equal(
                         deployed_commit, current_commit
                     )
+                    colored_print(f"Commit comparison result: {comparison}", Colors.BLUE)
+                    
                     if comparison is True:
                         colored_print(
                             "ℹ️  Note: A newer version is already deployed (this is fine!)",
@@ -375,9 +428,14 @@ def test_deployment(
                         version_ok = False
                     else:
                         colored_print(
-                            "⚠️  Warning: Could not determine version relationship - proceeding with tests",
+                            "⚠️  Warning: Could not determine version relationship",
                             Colors.YELLOW,
                         )
+                        colored_print(
+                            "This might be due to shallow git clone in CI - treating as version mismatch",
+                            Colors.YELLOW,
+                        )
+                        version_ok = False
             
             # Only proceed with functionality tests if version is correct
             if not version_ok: