diff --git a/README.adoc b/README.adoc
index d9c11f7..2bf4612 100644
--- a/README.adoc
+++ b/README.adoc
@@ -444,9 +444,9 @@ to customize the `list_tags_h` function.
 You should also make sure that Elixir properly identifies
 the most recent versions:
 
- ./script.sh get-latest
+ ./script.sh get-latest-tags | head
 
-If needed, customize the `get_latest()` function.
+If needed, customize the `get_latest_tags()` function.
 
 If you want to enable support for `compatible` properties in Devicetree files,
 add `dts_comp_support=1` at the beginning of `projects/<projectname>.sh`.
diff --git a/elixir/query.py b/elixir/query.py
index f4e9845..2e24448 100755
--- a/elixir/query.py
+++ b/elixir/query.py
@@ -110,18 +110,16 @@ class Query:
 
         elif cmd == 'latest':
 
-            previous = None
-            index = 0
+            # Returns the latest tag that is included in the database.
+            # This excludes release candidates.
+            sorted_tags = self.scriptLines('get-latest-tags')
 
-            while True:
-                tag = decode(self.script('get-latest', str(index))).rstrip('\n')
-
-                # tag == previous implies oldest tag, we return it anyway
-                if self.db.vers.exists(tag) or tag == previous:
+            for tag in sorted_tags:
+                if self.db.vers.exists(tag):
                     return tag
 
-                previous = tag
-                index += 1
+            # return the oldest tag, even if it does not exist in the database
+            return sorted_tags[-1]
 
         elif cmd == 'type':
 
diff --git a/projects/amazon-freertos.sh b/projects/amazon-freertos.sh
index 582a563..284a2cc 100644
--- a/projects/amazon-freertos.sh
+++ b/projects/amazon-freertos.sh
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ list_tags_h()
     sed -r 's/^(v[0-9]*)\.([0-9]*)(.*)$/\1 \1.\2 \1.\2\3/'
 }
 
-get_latest()
+get_latest_tags()
 {
-    git tag | grep '^20' | sort -V | tail -n 1
+    git tag | grep '^20' | sort -Vr
 }
diff --git a/projects/bluez.sh b/projects/bluez.sh
index a7f5049..3613a70 100644
--- a/projects/bluez.sh
+++ b/projects/bluez.sh
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ list_tags_h()
     sed -E 's/^([0-9]*)\.([0-9]*)$/v\1 v\1.\2 \1.\2/'
 }
 
-get_latest()
+get_latest_tags()
 {
-    git tag | grep '^[0-9]\.' | sort -V | tail -n 1
+    git tag | grep '^[0-9]\.' | sort -Vr
 }
diff --git a/projects/llvm.sh b/projects/llvm.sh
index 1fcaaef..a6c7616 100644
--- a/projects/llvm.sh
+++ b/projects/llvm.sh
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ list_tags_h()
     sed -r 's/^llvmorg-([0-9]*)\.([0-9]*)(.*)$/v\1 v\1.\2 llvmorg-\1.\2\3/'
 }
 
-get_latest()
+get_latest_tags()
 {
-    git tag | grep 'llvmorg' | grep -v init | sort -V | tail -n 1
+    git tag | grep 'llvmorg' | grep -v init | sort -Vr
 }
diff --git a/projects/mesa.sh b/projects/mesa.sh
index 230331e..52cee0b 100644
--- a/projects/mesa.sh
+++ b/projects/mesa.sh
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ list_tags_h()
     sed -r 's/^mesa-([0-9]*)(\.[0-9]*)(.*)$/v\1 v\1\2 mesa-\1\2\3/'
 }
 
-get_latest()
+get_latest_tags()
 {
-    git tag | version_dir | grep ^mesa-[0-9]*[\.][0-9]* | grep -v '\-rc' | sort -V | tail -n 1
+    git tag | version_dir | grep ^mesa-[0-9]*[\.][0-9]* | grep -v '\-rc' | sort -Vr
 }
diff --git a/projects/op-tee.sh b/projects/op-tee.sh
index d7c543d..8937cd6 100644
--- a/projects/op-tee.sh
+++ b/projects/op-tee.sh
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ list_tags()
     grep '^[0-9]\.'
 }
 
-get_latest()
+get_latest_tags()
 {
-    git tag | grep '^[0-9]\.' | grep -v '\-rc' | sort -V | tail -n 1
+    git tag | grep '^[0-9]\.' | grep -v '\-rc' | sort -Vr
 }
diff --git a/projects/zephyr.sh b/projects/zephyr.sh
index b3c45fa..149b385 100644
--- a/projects/zephyr.sh
+++ b/projects/zephyr.sh
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ list_tags_h()
     sed -r 's/^(v[0-9]*)\.([0-9]*)(.*)$/\1 \1.\2 \1.\2\3/'
 }
 
-get_latest()
+get_latest_tags()
 {
-    git tag | grep -v '^zephyr-v' | version_dir | grep -v '\-rc' | sort -V | tail -n 1
+    git tag | grep -v '^zephyr-v' | version_dir | grep -v '\-rc' | sort -Vr
 }
diff --git a/samples/projects/linuxtest.sh b/samples/projects/linuxtest.sh
index bc875ba..7c1c5c0 100644
--- a/samples/projects/linuxtest.sh
+++ b/samples/projects/linuxtest.sh
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ list_tags_h()
     echo "v5 v5.6 v5.6.1"
 }
 
-get_latest()
+get_latest_tags()
 {
     echo "v5.6.1"
 }
diff --git a/script.sh b/script.sh
index 011e095..1446777 100755
--- a/script.sh
+++ b/script.sh
@@ -63,9 +63,9 @@ list_tags_h()
     sed -r 's/^(v[0-9]*)\.([0-9]*)(.*)$/\1 \1.\2 \1.\2\3/'
 }
 
-get_latest()
+get_latest_tags()
 {
-    git tag | version_dir | grep -v '\-rc' | sort -V | tail -n $(($opt1 + 1)) | head -1
+    git tag | version_dir | grep -v '\-rc' | sort -Vr
 }
 
 get_type()
@@ -247,8 +247,8 @@ case $cmd in
         fi
         ;;
 
-    get-latest)
-        get_latest
+    get-latest-tags)
+        get_latest_tags
         ;;
 
     get-type)