diff --git a/templates/gitlab-ci-python.yml b/templates/gitlab-ci-python.yml
index f8967140c273b8d2696ec414fc9fe4074f861f5b..4661bb75ddc67e8adb165f910b216d885a4b2454 100644
--- a/templates/gitlab-ci-python.yml
+++ b/templates/gitlab-ci-python.yml
@@ -873,12 +873,19 @@ variables:
         # create cfg in case it doesn't exist - will be updated by bumpversion
         if [[ ! "$py_cur_version" && ! -f ".bumpversion.cfg" && ! -f ".bumpversion.toml" && ! -f "pyproject.toml" && ! -f "setup.cfg" ]]
         then
-          log_error "Current version not defined and not version file found, set initial version at least in .bumpversion.toml or pyproject.toml"
+          log_warn "Current version not defined and no version file found: please set initial version in .bumpversion.toml, .bumpversion.cfg, setup.cfg or pyproject.toml ([tool.bumpversion] section)"
         fi
         bump-my-version bump ${TRACE+--verbose} --current-version "${py_cur_version:-${PYTHON_RELEASE_START_VERSION:-0.0.0}}" --new-version "$py_next_version" --commit ${PYTHON_RELEASE_COMMIT_MESSAGE:+--message "$PYTHON_RELEASE_COMMIT_MESSAGE"} --tag --tag-name "{new_version}" "$py_release_part"
-      elif [[ -f ".bumpversion.cfg" ]]
+      elif [[ -f ".bumpversion.cfg" || -f ".bumpversion.toml" || -f "pyproject.toml" || -f "setup.cfg" ]]
       then
-        # current version shall be set in .bumpversion.cfg
+        if [[ ! -f ".bumpversion.cfg" && ! -f ".bumpversion.toml" && ! -f "setup.cfg"  ]] #  pyproject.toml case
+        then
+          if ! grep -q '^[[:space:]]*\[tool\.bumpversion\]' "pyproject.toml"
+          then
+            log_warn "Current version not defined and no version file found: please set initial version in pyproject.toml ([tool.bumpversion] section)"
+          fi
+        fi
+        # current version shall be set in bump-my-version config file
         py_release_part="$PYTHON_RELEASE_NEXT"
         log_info "[bump-my-version bump] increase \\e[1;94m${py_release_part}\\e[0m"
         bump-my-version bump ${TRACE+--verbose} --commit ${PYTHON_RELEASE_COMMIT_MESSAGE:+--message "$PYTHON_RELEASE_COMMIT_MESSAGE"} --tag --tag-name "{new_version}" "$py_release_part"
@@ -890,7 +897,7 @@ variables:
         log_info "[bump-my-version] increase \\e[1;94m${py_release_part}\\e[0m (from current \\e[1;94m${py_cur_version}\\e[0m)"
         bump-my-version bump ${TRACE+--verbose} --current-version "$py_cur_version" --commit ${PYTHON_RELEASE_COMMIT_MESSAGE:+--message "$PYTHON_RELEASE_COMMIT_MESSAGE"} --tag --tag-name "{new_version}" "$py_release_part" setup.py
       else
-        log_error "--- setup.py or .bumpversion.cfg file required to retrieve current version: cannot perform release"
+        log_error "--- setup.py, .bumpversion.toml, pyproject.toml, .bumpversion.cfg(deprecated) or setup.cfg(deprecated) file required to retrieve current version: cannot perform release"
         exit 1
       fi
     fi