diff --git a/bumpversion/scm.py b/bumpversion/scm.py
index f5a2272b..fa4496df 100644
--- a/bumpversion/scm.py
+++ b/bumpversion/scm.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ class SCMInfo:
 
     tool: Optional[Type["SourceCodeManager"]] = None
     commit_sha: Optional[str] = None
-    distance_to_latest_tag: Optional[int] = None
+    distance_to_latest_tag: int = 0
     current_version: Optional[str] = None
     branch_name: Optional[str] = None
     short_branch_name: Optional[str] = None
diff --git a/bumpversion/utils.py b/bumpversion/utils.py
index ea9b68d4..c6d30cc5 100644
--- a/bumpversion/utils.py
+++ b/bumpversion/utils.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 """General utilities."""
+import datetime
 import string
 from collections import ChainMap
 from dataclasses import asdict
@@ -6,6 +7,7 @@
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:  # pragma: no-coverage
     from bumpversion.config import Config
+    from bumpversion.scm import SCMInfo
     from bumpversion.version_part import Version
 
 
@@ -51,19 +53,29 @@ def labels_for_format(serialize_format: str) -> List[str]:
     return [item[1] for item in string.Formatter().parse(serialize_format) if item[1]]
 
 
-def get_context(
-    config: "Config", current_version: Optional["Version"] = None, new_version: Optional["Version"] = None
-) -> ChainMap:
-    """Return the context for rendering messages and tags."""
-    import datetime
+def base_context(scm_info: Optional["SCMInfo"] = None) -> ChainMap:
+    """The default context for rendering messages and tags."""
+    from bumpversion.scm import SCMInfo  # Including this here to avoid circular imports
+
+    scm = asdict(scm_info) if scm_info else asdict(SCMInfo())
 
-    ctx = ChainMap(
-        {"current_version": config.current_version},
-        {"now": datetime.datetime.now(), "utcnow": datetime.datetime.utcnow()},
+    return ChainMap(
+        {
+            "now": datetime.datetime.now(),
+            "utcnow": datetime.datetime.now(datetime.timezone.utc),
+        },
         prefixed_environ(),
-        asdict(config.scm_info),
+        scm,
         {c: c for c in ("#", ";")},
     )
+
+
+def get_context(
+    config: "Config", current_version: Optional["Version"] = None, new_version: Optional["Version"] = None
+) -> ChainMap:
+    """Return the context for rendering messages and tags."""
+    ctx = base_context(config.scm_info)
+    ctx.new_child({"current_version": config.current_version})
     if current_version:
         ctx = ctx.new_child({f"current_{part}": current_version[part].value for part in current_version})
     if new_version:
diff --git a/bumpversion/visualize.py b/bumpversion/visualize.py
index f14d8c37..92c104d4 100644
--- a/bumpversion/visualize.py
+++ b/bumpversion/visualize.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 from bumpversion.config import Config
 from bumpversion.exceptions import BumpVersionError
 from bumpversion.ui import print_info
-from bumpversion.utils import get_context
+from bumpversion.utils import base_context, get_context
 
 BOX_CHARS = {
     "ascii": ["+", "+", "+", "+", "+", "+", "+", "+", "-", "|", "+"],
@@ -92,10 +92,25 @@ def labeled_line(label: str, border: Border, fit_length: Optional[int] = None) -
     return f" {label} {border.line * (fit_length - len(label))}{border.line} "
 
 
+def filter_version_parts(config: Config) -> list[str]:
+    """
+    Return the version parts that are in the configuration.
+
+    Args:
+        config: The configuration to check against
+
+    Returns:
+        The version parts that are in the configuration
+    """
+    version_parts = [part for part in config.version_config.order if not part.startswith("$")]
+    default_context = base_context(config.scm_info)
+    return [part for part in version_parts if part not in default_context]
+
+
 def visualize(config: Config, version_str: str, box_style: str = "light") -> None:
     """Output a visualization of the bump-my-version bump process."""
     version = config.version_config.parse(version_str)
-    version_parts = config.version_config.order
+    version_parts = filter_version_parts(config)
     num_parts = len(version_parts)
 
     box_style = box_style if box_style in BOX_CHARS else "light"
@@ -111,8 +126,8 @@ def visualize(config: Config, version_str: str, box_style: str = "light") -> Non
         try:
             next_version = get_next_version(version, config, part, None)
             next_version_str = config.version_config.serialize(next_version, get_context(config))
-        except (BumpVersionError, ValueError):
-            next_version_str = "invalid"
+        except (BumpVersionError, ValueError) as e:
+            next_version_str = f"invalid: {e}"
 
         has_next = i < num_parts - 1
         has_previous = i > 0