diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 5bda901aeb..c714d382e8 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,2 +1,3 @@
+GIT-VERSION-FILE
 git-citool
 git-gui
diff --git a/GIT-VERSION-GEN b/GIT-VERSION-GEN
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..79f1c527ff
--- /dev/null
+++ b/GIT-VERSION-GEN
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+GVF=GIT-VERSION-FILE
+DEF_VER=v0.5.GIT
+
+LF='
+'
+
+# First try git-describe, then see if there is a version file
+# (included in release tarballs), then default
+if VN=$(git describe --abbrev=4 HEAD 2>/dev/null) &&
+   case "$VN" in
+   *$LF*) (exit 1) ;;
+   v[0-9]*) : happy ;;
+   esac
+then
+	VN=$(echo "$VN" | sed -e 's/-/./g');
+elif test -f version
+then
+	VN=$(cat version) || VN="$DEF_VER"
+else
+	VN="$DEF_VER"
+fi
+
+VN=$(expr "$VN" : v*'\(.*\)')
+
+dirty=$(sh -c 'git diff-index --name-only HEAD' 2>/dev/null) || dirty=
+case "$dirty" in
+'')
+	;;
+*)
+	VN="$VN-dirty" ;;
+esac
+
+if test -r $GVF
+then
+	VC=$(sed -e 's/^GIT_VERSION = //' <$GVF)
+else
+	VC=unset
+fi
+test "$VN" = "$VC" || {
+	echo >&2 "GIT_VERSION = $VN"
+	echo "GIT_VERSION = $VN" >$GVF
+}
+
+
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 606bec640e..8fade69127 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,9 +1,12 @@
 all::
 
+GIT-VERSION-FILE: .FORCE-GIT-VERSION-FILE
+	@$(SHELL_PATH) ./GIT-VERSION-GEN
+-include GIT-VERSION-FILE
+
 SCRIPT_SH = git-gui.sh
 GITGUI_BUILT_INS = git-citool
 ALL_PROGRAMS = $(GITGUI_BUILT_INS) $(patsubst %.sh,%,$(SCRIPT_SH))
-GITGUI_VERSION := $(shell git describe)
 
 ifndef SHELL_PATH
 	SHELL_PATH = /bin/sh
@@ -20,7 +23,7 @@ SHELL_PATH_SQ = $(subst ','\'',$(SHELL_PATH))
 $(patsubst %.sh,%,$(SCRIPT_SH)) : % : %.sh
 	rm -f $@ $@+
 	sed -e '1s|#!.*/sh|#!$(SHELL_PATH_SQ)|' \
-		-e 's/@@GITGUI_VERSION@@/$(GITGUI_VERSION)/g' \
+		-e 's/@@GIT_VERSION@@/$(GIT_VERSION)/g' \
 		$@.sh >$@+
 	chmod +x $@+
 	mv $@+ $@
@@ -28,6 +31,9 @@ $(patsubst %.sh,%,$(SCRIPT_SH)) : % : %.sh
 $(GITGUI_BUILT_INS): git-gui
 	rm -f $@ && ln git-gui $@
 
+# These can record GIT_VERSION
+$(patsubst %.sh,%,$(SCRIPT_SH)): GIT-VERSION-FILE
+
 all:: $(ALL_PROGRAMS)
 
 install: all
@@ -36,4 +42,7 @@ install: all
 	$(foreach p,$(GITGUI_BUILT_INS), rm -f '$(DESTDIR_SQ)$(gitexecdir_SQ)/$p' && ln '$(DESTDIR_SQ)$(gitexecdir_SQ)/git-gui' '$(DESTDIR_SQ)$(gitexecdir_SQ)/$p' ;)
 
 clean::
-	rm -f $(ALL_PROGRAMS)
+	rm -f $(ALL_PROGRAMS) GIT-VERSION-FILE
+
+.PHONY: all install clean
+.PHONY: .FORCE-GIT-VERSION-FILE
diff --git a/git-gui.sh b/git-gui.sh
index cb2b459ffd..e136e329c3 100755
--- a/git-gui.sh
+++ b/git-gui.sh
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
 Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307  USA}
 
-set appvers {@@GITGUI_VERSION@@}
+set appvers {@@GIT_VERSION@@}
 set appname [lindex [file split $argv0] end]
 set gitdir {}
 
@@ -2543,8 +2543,9 @@ $copyright" \
 	pack $w.desc -side top -fill x -padx 5 -pady 5
 
 	set v {}
-	append v "$appname version $appvers\n\n"
-	append v "[exec git --version]\n\n"
+	append v "$appname version $appvers\n"
+	append v "[exec git version]\n"
+	append v "\n"
 	if {$tcl_patchLevel eq $tk_patchLevel} {
 		append v "Tcl/Tk version $tcl_patchLevel"
 	} else {