diff --git a/version.go b/version.go
index 30454e1..dbd39e3 100644
--- a/version.go
+++ b/version.go
@@ -212,17 +212,11 @@ func comparePart(preSelf string, preOther string) int {
 
 	// if a part is empty, we use the other to decide
 	if preSelf == "" {
-		if otherNumeric {
-			return -1
-		}
-		return 1
+		return -1
 	}
 
 	if preOther == "" {
-		if selfNumeric {
-			return 1
-		}
-		return -1
+		return 1
 	}
 
 	if selfNumeric && !otherNumeric {
diff --git a/version_test.go b/version_test.go
index bd3534a..33f4c96 100644
--- a/version_test.go
+++ b/version_test.go
@@ -190,7 +190,9 @@ func TestComparePreReleases(t *testing.T) {
 		{"3.0-alpha.3", "3.0-rc.1", -1},
 		{"3.0-alpha3", "3.0-rc1", -1},
 		{"3.0-alpha.1", "3.0-alpha.beta", -1},
-		{"5.4-alpha", "5.4-alpha.beta", 1},
+		{"5.4-alpha", "5.4-alpha.beta", -1},
+		{"5.4-beta", "5.4-alpha.beta", 1},
+		{"5.4-beta.2", "5.4-alpha.beta", 1},
 		{"v1.2-beta.2", "v1.2-beta.2", 0},
 		{"v1.2-beta.1", "v1.2-beta.2", -1},
 		{"v3.2-alpha.1", "v3.2-alpha", 1},