diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 061c057..b03bb5f 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,3 +1,10 @@
+## Unreleased
+
+* Updated `Version.bump()` to add a `smart` argument,
+  which only bumps when `distance != 0`.
+  This will also make `Version.serialize()` use pre-release formatting automatically,
+  like calling `Version.serialize(bump=True)`.
+
 ## v1.19.2 (2024-02-16)
 
 * Fixed an exception when a Git repository had a broken ref.
diff --git a/dunamai/__init__.py b/dunamai/__init__.py
index e09e4b4..f30ccc3 100644
--- a/dunamai/__init__.py
+++ b/dunamai/__init__.py
@@ -597,6 +597,7 @@ def __init__(
 
         self._matched_tag = None  # type: Optional[str]
         self._newer_unmatched_tags = None  # type: Optional[Sequence[str]]
+        self._smart_bumped = False
 
     def __str__(self) -> str:
         return self.serialize()
@@ -729,8 +730,8 @@ def serialize(
         """
         base = self.base
         revision = self.revision
-        if bump and self.distance > 0:
-            bumped = self.bump()
+        if bump:
+            bumped = self.bump(smart=True)
             base = bumped.base
             revision = bumped.revision
 
@@ -782,7 +783,7 @@ def serialize(
             if revision is not None:
                 pre_parts.append(str(revision))
         if self.distance > 0:
-            pre_parts.append("pre" if bump else "post")
+            pre_parts.append("pre" if bump or self._smart_bumped else "post")
             pre_parts.append(str(self.distance))
 
         if style == Style.Pep440:
@@ -796,7 +797,7 @@ def serialize(
                 stage = None
                 dev = revision
             if self.distance > 0:
-                if bump:
+                if bump or self._smart_bumped:
                     if dev is None:
                         dev = self.distance
                     else:
@@ -914,7 +915,7 @@ def parse(cls, version: str, pattern: Union[str, Pattern] = Pattern.Default) ->
             epoch=epoch,
         )
 
-    def bump(self, index: int = -1, increment: int = 1) -> "Version":
+    def bump(self, index: int = -1, increment: int = 1, smart: bool = False) -> "Version":
         """
         Increment the version.
 
@@ -927,9 +928,18 @@ def bump(self, index: int = -1, increment: int = 1) -> "Version":
             the right side and count down from -1.
             Only has an effect when the base is bumped.
         :param increment: By how much to increment the relevant position.
+        :param smart: If true, only bump when distance is not 0.
+            This will also make `Version.serialize()` use pre-release formatting automatically,
+            like calling `Version.serialize(bump=True)`.
         :returns: Bumped version.
         """
         bumped = copy.deepcopy(self)
+
+        if smart:
+            if bumped.distance == 0:
+                return bumped
+            bumped._smart_bumped = True
+
         if bumped.stage is None:
             bumped.base = bump_version(bumped.base, index, increment)
         else:
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_dunamai.py b/tests/unit/test_dunamai.py
index e30ff0b..b097f1e 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_dunamai.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_dunamai.py
@@ -508,6 +508,14 @@ def test__version__bump() -> None:
     assert Version("1.2.3", stage=("a", None)).bump().serialize() == "1.2.3a2"
     assert Version("1.2.3", stage=("a", 4)).bump().serialize() == "1.2.3a5"
 
+    assert Version("1.2.3", distance=0).bump(smart=False).serialize() == "1.2.4"
+    assert Version("1.2.3", distance=0).bump(smart=True).serialize() == "1.2.3"
+    assert Version("1.2.3", distance=0).serialize(bump=True) == "1.2.3"
+
+    assert Version("1.2.3", distance=5).bump(smart=False).serialize() == "1.2.4.post5.dev0"
+    assert Version("1.2.3", distance=5).bump(smart=True).serialize() == "1.2.4.dev5"
+    assert Version("1.2.3", distance=5).serialize(bump=True) == "1.2.4.dev5"
+
 
 def test__version__parse():
     assert Version.parse("1.2.3") == Version("1.2.3")