diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index dd6fb7d86..7090ff2ed 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -7,13 +7,15 @@ This process created the file `CMakeCache.txt' and the directory `CMakeFiles'. P
 endif()
 
 project(OSRM C CXX)
+set(OSRM_VERSION_MAJOR 4)
+set(OSRM_VERSION_MINOR 8)
+set(OSRM_VERSION_PATCH 0)
+
 set(CMAKE_EXPORT_COMPILE_COMMANDS ON)
 include(CheckCXXCompilerFlag)
 include(FindPackageHandleStandardArgs)
 
 list(APPEND CMAKE_MODULE_PATH "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/cmake")
-include(GetGitRevisionDescription)
-git_describe(GIT_DESCRIPTION)
 
 set(bitness 32)
 if(CMAKE_SIZEOF_VOID_P EQUAL 8)
@@ -46,8 +48,8 @@ add_custom_target(benchmarks DEPENDS rtree-bench)
 set(BOOST_COMPONENTS date_time filesystem iostreams program_options regex system thread unit_test_framework)
 
 configure_file(
-  ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/util/git_sha.cpp.in
-  ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/util/git_sha.cpp
+  ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/util/version.hpp.in
+  ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/util/version.hpp
 )
 file(GLOB ExtractorGlob extractor/*.cpp)
 file(GLOB ImporterGlob data_structures/import_edge.cpp data_structures/external_memory_node.cpp data_structures/raster_source.cpp)
@@ -60,7 +62,7 @@ add_library(MERCATOR OBJECT util/mercator.cpp)
 add_library(ANGLE OBJECT util/compute_angle.cpp)
 
 set(ExtractorSources extract.cpp ${ExtractorGlob})
-add_executable(osrm-extract ${ExtractorSources} $<TARGET_OBJECTS:COORDINATE> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:FINGERPRINT> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:GITDESCRIPTION> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:IMPORT> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:LOGGER> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:EXCEPTION> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:MERCATOR>)
+add_executable(osrm-extract ${ExtractorSources} $<TARGET_OBJECTS:COORDINATE> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:FINGERPRINT> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:IMPORT> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:LOGGER> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:EXCEPTION> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:MERCATOR>)
 
 add_library(RESTRICTION OBJECT data_structures/restriction_map.cpp)
 add_library(COMPRESSEDEDGE OBJECT data_structures/compressed_edge_container.cpp)
@@ -68,7 +70,7 @@ add_library(GRAPHCOMPRESSOR OBJECT algorithms/graph_compressor.cpp)
 
 file(GLOB PrepareGlob contractor/*.cpp data_structures/hilbert_value.cpp {RestrictionMapGlob})
 set(PrepareSources prepare.cpp ${PrepareGlob})
-add_executable(osrm-prepare ${PrepareSources} $<TARGET_OBJECTS:ANGLE> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:FINGERPRINT> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:GITDESCRIPTION> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:COORDINATE> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:IMPORT> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:LOGGER> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:RESTRICTION> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:EXCEPTION> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:MERCATOR> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:COMPRESSEDEDGE> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:GRAPHCOMPRESSOR>)
+add_executable(osrm-prepare ${PrepareSources} $<TARGET_OBJECTS:ANGLE> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:FINGERPRINT> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:COORDINATE> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:IMPORT> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:LOGGER> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:RESTRICTION> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:EXCEPTION> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:MERCATOR> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:COMPRESSEDEDGE> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:GRAPHCOMPRESSOR>)
 
 file(GLOB ServerGlob server/*.cpp)
 file(GLOB DescriptorGlob descriptors/*.cpp)
@@ -90,8 +92,7 @@ set(
 )
 
 add_library(COORDINATE OBJECT ${CoordinateGlob})
-add_library(GITDESCRIPTION OBJECT util/git_sha.cpp)
-add_library(OSRM ${OSRMSources} $<TARGET_OBJECTS:ANGLE> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:COORDINATE> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:GITDESCRIPTION> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:FINGERPRINT> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:COORDINATE> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:LOGGER> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:RESTRICTION> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:PHANTOMNODE> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:EXCEPTION> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:MERCATOR> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:IMPORT>)
+add_library(OSRM ${OSRMSources} $<TARGET_OBJECTS:ANGLE> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:COORDINATE> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:FINGERPRINT> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:COORDINATE> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:LOGGER> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:RESTRICTION> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:PHANTOMNODE> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:EXCEPTION> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:MERCATOR> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:IMPORT>)
 
 add_library(FINGERPRINT OBJECT util/fingerprint.cpp)
 add_dependencies(FINGERPRINT FingerPrintConfigure)
@@ -99,7 +100,7 @@ add_dependencies(OSRM FingerPrintConfigure)
 set_target_properties(FINGERPRINT PROPERTIES LINKER_LANGUAGE CXX)
 
 add_executable(osrm-routed routed.cpp ${ServerGlob} $<TARGET_OBJECTS:EXCEPTION>)
-add_executable(osrm-datastore datastore.cpp $<TARGET_OBJECTS:COORDINATE> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:FINGERPRINT> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:GITDESCRIPTION> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:LOGGER> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:EXCEPTION> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:MERCATOR>)
+add_executable(osrm-datastore datastore.cpp $<TARGET_OBJECTS:COORDINATE> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:FINGERPRINT> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:LOGGER> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:EXCEPTION> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:MERCATOR>)
 
 # Unit tests
 add_executable(datastructure-tests EXCLUDE_FROM_ALL unit_tests/datastructure_tests.cpp ${DataStructureTestsGlob} $<TARGET_OBJECTS:COORDINATE> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:LOGGER> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:PHANTOMNODE> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:EXCEPTION> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:MERCATOR> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:COMPRESSEDEDGE> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:GRAPHCOMPRESSOR> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:RESTRICTION> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:RASTERSOURCE>)
@@ -339,16 +340,16 @@ if(BUILD_TOOLS)
   add_executable(osrm-cli tools/simpleclient.cpp $<TARGET_OBJECTS:EXCEPTION> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:LOGGER> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:COORDINATE>)
   target_link_libraries(osrm-cli ${Boost_LIBRARIES} ${OPTIONAL_SOCKET_LIBS} OSRM)
   target_link_libraries(osrm-cli ${TBB_LIBRARIES})
-  add_executable(osrm-io-benchmark tools/io-benchmark.cpp $<TARGET_OBJECTS:EXCEPTION> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:GITDESCRIPTION> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:LOGGER>)
+  add_executable(osrm-io-benchmark tools/io-benchmark.cpp $<TARGET_OBJECTS:EXCEPTION> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:LOGGER>)
   target_link_libraries(osrm-io-benchmark ${Boost_LIBRARIES})
-  add_executable(osrm-unlock-all tools/unlock_all_mutexes.cpp $<TARGET_OBJECTS:GITDESCRIPTION> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:LOGGER> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:EXCEPTION>)
+  add_executable(osrm-unlock-all tools/unlock_all_mutexes.cpp $<TARGET_OBJECTS:LOGGER> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:EXCEPTION>)
   target_link_libraries(osrm-unlock-all ${Boost_LIBRARIES} ${CMAKE_THREAD_LIBS_INIT})
   if(UNIX AND NOT APPLE)
     target_link_libraries(osrm-unlock-all rt)
   endif()
   add_executable(osrm-check-hsgr tools/check-hsgr.cpp $<TARGET_OBJECTS:FINGERPRINT> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:EXCEPTION> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:LOGGER> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:IMPORT>)
   target_link_libraries(osrm-check-hsgr ${Boost_LIBRARIES} ${TBB_LIBRARIES})
-  add_executable(osrm-springclean tools/springclean.cpp $<TARGET_OBJECTS:FINGERPRINT> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:LOGGER> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:GITDESCRIPTION> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:EXCEPTION>)
+  add_executable(osrm-springclean tools/springclean.cpp $<TARGET_OBJECTS:FINGERPRINT> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:LOGGER> $<TARGET_OBJECTS:EXCEPTION>)
   target_link_libraries(osrm-springclean ${Boost_LIBRARIES})
 
   install(TARGETS osrm-cli DESTINATION bin)
diff --git a/cmake/GetGitRevisionDescription.cmake b/cmake/GetGitRevisionDescription.cmake
deleted file mode 100644
index 1bf023008..000000000
--- a/cmake/GetGitRevisionDescription.cmake
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,123 +0,0 @@
-# - Returns a version string from Git
-#
-# These functions force a re-configure on each git commit so that you can
-# trust the values of the variables in your build system.
-#
-#  get_git_head_revision(<refspecvar> <hashvar> [<additional arguments to git describe> ...])
-#
-# Returns the refspec and sha hash of the current head revision
-#
-#  git_describe(<var> [<additional arguments to git describe> ...])
-#
-# Returns the results of git describe on the source tree, and adjusting
-# the output so that it tests false if an error occurs.
-#
-#  git_get_exact_tag(<var> [<additional arguments to git describe> ...])
-#
-# Returns the results of git describe --exact-match on the source tree,
-# and adjusting the output so that it tests false if there was no exact
-# matching tag.
-#
-# Requires CMake 2.6 or newer (uses the 'function' command)
-#
-# Original Author:
-# 2009-2010 Ryan Pavlik <rpavlik@iastate.edu> <abiryan@ryand.net>
-# http://academic.cleardefinition.com
-# Iowa State University HCI Graduate Program/VRAC
-#
-# Copyright Iowa State University 2009-2010.
-# Distributed under the Boost Software License, Version 1.0.
-# (See accompanying file LICENSE_1_0.txt or copy at
-# http://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt)
-
-if(__get_git_revision_description)
-	return()
-endif()
-set(__get_git_revision_description YES)
-
-# We must run the following at "include" time, not at function call time,
-# to find the path to this module rather than the path to a calling list file
-get_filename_component(_gitdescmoddir ${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_FILE} PATH)
-
-function(get_git_head_revision _refspecvar _hashvar)
-	set(GIT_PARENT_DIR "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}")
-	set(GIT_DIR "${GIT_PARENT_DIR}/.git")
-	while(NOT EXISTS "${GIT_DIR}")	# .git dir not found, search parent directories
-		set(GIT_PREVIOUS_PARENT "${GIT_PARENT_DIR}")
-		get_filename_component(GIT_PARENT_DIR ${GIT_PARENT_DIR} PATH)
-		if(GIT_PARENT_DIR STREQUAL GIT_PREVIOUS_PARENT)
-			# We have reached the root directory, we are not in git
-			set(${_refspecvar} "GITDIR-NOTFOUND" PARENT_SCOPE)
-			set(${_hashvar} "GITDIR-NOTFOUND" PARENT_SCOPE)
-			return()
-		endif()
-		set(GIT_DIR "${GIT_PARENT_DIR}/.git")
-	endwhile()
-	set(GIT_DATA "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/CMakeFiles/git-data")
-	if(NOT EXISTS "${GIT_DATA}")
-		file(MAKE_DIRECTORY "${GIT_DATA}")
-	endif()
-
-	if(NOT EXISTS "${GIT_DIR}/HEAD")
-		return()
-	endif()
-	set(HEAD_FILE "${GIT_DATA}/HEAD")
-	configure_file("${GIT_DIR}/HEAD" "${HEAD_FILE}" COPYONLY)
-
-	configure_file("${_gitdescmoddir}/GetGitRevisionDescription.cmake.in"
-		"${GIT_DATA}/grabRef.cmake"
-		@ONLY)
-	include("${GIT_DATA}/grabRef.cmake")
-
-	set(${_refspecvar} "${HEAD_REF}" PARENT_SCOPE)
-	set(${_hashvar} "${HEAD_HASH}" PARENT_SCOPE)
-endfunction()
-
-function(git_describe _var)
-	if(NOT GIT_FOUND)
-		find_package(Git QUIET)
-	endif()
-	get_git_head_revision(refspec hash)
-	if(NOT GIT_FOUND)
-		set(${_var} "GIT-NOTFOUND" PARENT_SCOPE)
-		return()
-	endif()
-	if(NOT hash)
-		set(${_var} "HEAD-HASH-NOTFOUND" PARENT_SCOPE)
-		return()
-	endif()
-
-	# TODO sanitize
-	#if((${ARGN}" MATCHES "&&") OR
-	#	(ARGN MATCHES "||") OR
-	#	(ARGN MATCHES "\\;"))
-	#	message("Please report the following error to the project!")
-	#	message(FATAL_ERROR "Looks like someone's doing something nefarious with git_describe! Passed arguments ${ARGN}")
-	#endif()
-
-	#message(STATUS "Arguments to execute_process: ${ARGN}")
-
-	execute_process(COMMAND
-		"${GIT_EXECUTABLE}"
-		describe
-		${hash}
-		${ARGN}
-		WORKING_DIRECTORY
-		"${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}"
-		RESULT_VARIABLE
-		res
-		OUTPUT_VARIABLE
-		out
-		ERROR_QUIET
-		OUTPUT_STRIP_TRAILING_WHITESPACE)
-	if(NOT res EQUAL 0)
-		set(out "${out}-${res}-NOTFOUND")
-	endif()
-
-	set(${_var} "${out}" PARENT_SCOPE)
-endfunction()
-
-function(git_get_exact_tag _var)
-	git_describe(out --exact-match ${ARGN})
-	set(${_var} "${out}" PARENT_SCOPE)
-endfunction()
diff --git a/cmake/GetGitRevisionDescription.cmake.in b/cmake/GetGitRevisionDescription.cmake.in
deleted file mode 100644
index 888ce13aa..000000000
--- a/cmake/GetGitRevisionDescription.cmake.in
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,38 +0,0 @@
-# 
-# Internal file for GetGitRevisionDescription.cmake
-#
-# Requires CMake 2.6 or newer (uses the 'function' command)
-#
-# Original Author:
-# 2009-2010 Ryan Pavlik <rpavlik@iastate.edu> <abiryan@ryand.net>
-# http://academic.cleardefinition.com
-# Iowa State University HCI Graduate Program/VRAC
-#
-# Copyright Iowa State University 2009-2010.
-# Distributed under the Boost Software License, Version 1.0.
-# (See accompanying file LICENSE_1_0.txt or copy at
-# http://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt)
-
-set(HEAD_HASH)
-
-file(READ "@HEAD_FILE@" HEAD_CONTENTS LIMIT 1024)
-
-string(STRIP "${HEAD_CONTENTS}" HEAD_CONTENTS)
-if(HEAD_CONTENTS MATCHES "ref")
-	# named branch
-	string(REPLACE "ref: " "" HEAD_REF "${HEAD_CONTENTS}")
-	if(EXISTS "@GIT_DIR@/${HEAD_REF}")
-		configure_file("@GIT_DIR@/${HEAD_REF}" "@GIT_DATA@/head-ref" COPYONLY)
-	elseif(EXISTS "@GIT_DIR@/logs/${HEAD_REF}")
-		configure_file("@GIT_DIR@/logs/${HEAD_REF}" "@GIT_DATA@/head-ref" COPYONLY)
-		set(HEAD_HASH "${HEAD_REF}")
-	endif()
-else()
-	# detached HEAD
-	configure_file("@GIT_DIR@/HEAD" "@GIT_DATA@/head-ref" COPYONLY)
-endif()
-
-if(NOT HEAD_HASH)
-	file(READ "@GIT_DATA@/head-ref" HEAD_HASH LIMIT 1024)
-	string(STRIP "${HEAD_HASH}" HEAD_HASH)
-endif()
diff --git a/cmake/pkgconfig.in b/cmake/pkgconfig.in
index e81febad8..eec21d81d 100644
--- a/cmake/pkgconfig.in
+++ b/cmake/pkgconfig.in
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ libdir=${prefix}/lib
 
 Name: libOSRM
 Description: Project OSRM library
-Version: @GIT_DESCRIPTION@
+Version: v@OSRM_VERSION_MAJOR@.@OSRM_VERSION_MINOR@.@OSRM_VERSION_PATCH@
 Requires:
 Libs: -L${libdir} -lOSRM
 Libs.private: @BOOST_LIBRARY_LISTING@
diff --git a/contractor/contractor_options.cpp b/contractor/contractor_options.cpp
index f0d434a91..f2aeb0b3e 100644
--- a/contractor/contractor_options.cpp
+++ b/contractor/contractor_options.cpp
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 
 #include "contractor_options.hpp"
 
-#include "../util/git_sha.hpp"
+#include "../util/version.hpp"
 #include "../util/simple_logger.hpp"
 
 #include <boost/filesystem.hpp>
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ ContractorOptions::ParseArguments(int argc, char *argv[], ContractorConfig &cont
 
     if (option_variables.count("version"))
     {
-        SimpleLogger().Write() << g_GIT_DESCRIPTION;
+        SimpleLogger().Write() << OSRM_VERSION;
         return return_code::exit;
     }
 
diff --git a/contractor/processing_chain.cpp b/contractor/processing_chain.cpp
index 574aea733..bc9695b51 100644
--- a/contractor/processing_chain.cpp
+++ b/contractor/processing_chain.cpp
@@ -36,7 +36,6 @@ SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 #include "../data_structures/static_rtree.hpp"
 #include "../data_structures/restriction_map.hpp"
 
-#include "../util/git_sha.hpp"
 #include "../util/graph_loader.hpp"
 #include "../util/integer_range.hpp"
 #include "../util/lua_util.hpp"
diff --git a/extractor/extractor.cpp b/extractor/extractor.cpp
index cc920bab4..6355bde0a 100644
--- a/extractor/extractor.cpp
+++ b/extractor/extractor.cpp
@@ -35,7 +35,6 @@ SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 #include "scripting_environment.hpp"
 
 #include "../data_structures/raster_source.hpp"
-#include "../util/git_sha.hpp"
 #include "../util/make_unique.hpp"
 #include "../util/simple_logger.hpp"
 #include "../util/timing_util.hpp"
diff --git a/extractor/extractor_options.cpp b/extractor/extractor_options.cpp
index 23cbacc74..b0c5c9eff 100644
--- a/extractor/extractor_options.cpp
+++ b/extractor/extractor_options.cpp
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 
 #include "extractor_options.hpp"
 
-#include "../util/git_sha.hpp"
+#include "../util/version.hpp"
 #include "../util/ini_file.hpp"
 #include "../util/simple_logger.hpp"
 
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ ExtractorOptions::ParseArguments(int argc, char *argv[], ExtractorConfig &extrac
                                       option_variables);
         if (option_variables.count("version"))
         {
-            SimpleLogger().Write() << g_GIT_DESCRIPTION;
+            SimpleLogger().Write() << OSRM_VERSION;
             return return_code::exit;
         }
 
diff --git a/routed.cpp b/routed.cpp
index c8186f7c9..89a9b3a18 100644
--- a/routed.cpp
+++ b/routed.cpp
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 
 #include "library/osrm.hpp"
 #include "server/server.hpp"
-#include "util/git_sha.hpp"
+#include "util/version.hpp"
 #include "util/routed_options.hpp"
 #include "util/simple_logger.hpp"
 
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ int main(int argc, const char *argv[])
             SimpleLogger().Write(logWARNING) << argv[0] << " could not be locked to RAM";
         }
 #endif
-        SimpleLogger().Write() << "starting up engines, " << g_GIT_DESCRIPTION;
+        SimpleLogger().Write() << "starting up engines, " << OSRM_VERSION;
 
         if (lib_config.use_shared_memory)
         {
diff --git a/tools/io-benchmark.cpp b/tools/io-benchmark.cpp
index ae76327e2..a4d85ee32 100644
--- a/tools/io-benchmark.cpp
+++ b/tools/io-benchmark.cpp
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 
 */
 
-#include "../util/git_sha.hpp"
+#include "../util/version.hpp"
 #include "../util/osrm_exception.hpp"
 #include "../util/simple_logger.hpp"
 #include "../util/timing_util.hpp"
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     boost::filesystem::path test_path;
     try
     {
-        SimpleLogger().Write() << "starting up engines, " << g_GIT_DESCRIPTION;
+        SimpleLogger().Write() << "starting up engines, " << OSRM_VERSION;
 
         if (1 == argc)
         {
diff --git a/tools/simpleclient.cpp b/tools/simpleclient.cpp
index ce590ccd8..3fe8d0c8a 100644
--- a/tools/simpleclient.cpp
+++ b/tools/simpleclient.cpp
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 */
 
 #include "../library/osrm.hpp"
-#include "../util/git_sha.hpp"
+#include "../util/version.hpp"
 #include "../util/json_renderer.hpp"
 #include "../util/routed_options.hpp"
 #include "../util/simple_logger.hpp"
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ int main(int argc, const char *argv[])
         {
             return 1;
         }
-        SimpleLogger().Write() << "starting up engines, " << g_GIT_DESCRIPTION;
+        SimpleLogger().Write() << "starting up engines, " << OSRM_VERSION;
 
         OSRM routing_machine(lib_config);
 
diff --git a/tools/springclean.cpp b/tools/springclean.cpp
index 2d8910621..91657d335 100644
--- a/tools/springclean.cpp
+++ b/tools/springclean.cpp
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 
 #include "../data_structures/shared_memory_factory.hpp"
 #include "../server/data_structures/shared_datatype.hpp"
-#include "../util/git_sha.hpp"
+#include "../util/version.hpp"
 #include "../util/simple_logger.hpp"
 
 void delete_region(const SharedDataType region)
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ int main()
     LogPolicy::GetInstance().Unmute();
     try
     {
-        SimpleLogger().Write() << "starting up engines, " << g_GIT_DESCRIPTION << "\n\n";
+        SimpleLogger().Write() << "starting up engines, " << OSRM_VERSION << "\n\n";
         SimpleLogger().Write() << "Releasing all locks";
         SimpleLogger().Write() << "ATTENTION! BE CAREFUL!";
         SimpleLogger().Write() << "----------------------";
diff --git a/tools/unlock_all_mutexes.cpp b/tools/unlock_all_mutexes.cpp
index 299aa61f5..f6a660cd9 100644
--- a/tools/unlock_all_mutexes.cpp
+++ b/tools/unlock_all_mutexes.cpp
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 
 */
 
-#include "../util/git_sha.hpp"
+#include "../util/version.hpp"
 #include "../util/simple_logger.hpp"
 #include "../server/data_structures/shared_barriers.hpp"
 
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ int main()
     LogPolicy::GetInstance().Unmute();
     try
     {
-        SimpleLogger().Write() << "starting up engines, " << g_GIT_DESCRIPTION;
+        SimpleLogger().Write() << "starting up engines, " << OSRM_VERSION;
         SimpleLogger().Write() << "Releasing all locks";
         SharedBarriers barrier;
         barrier.pending_update_mutex.unlock();
diff --git a/util/datastore_options.hpp b/util/datastore_options.hpp
index 2bb127d1e..ff6c9cb67 100644
--- a/util/datastore_options.hpp
+++ b/util/datastore_options.hpp
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 #ifndef DATASTORE_OPTIONS_HPP
 #define DATASTORE_OPTIONS_HPP
 
-#include "git_sha.hpp"
+#include "version.hpp"
 #include "ini_file.hpp"
 #include "osrm_exception.hpp"
 #include "simple_logger.hpp"
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ bool GenerateDataStoreOptions(const int argc, const char *argv[], ServerPaths &p
 
     if (option_variables.count("version"))
     {
-        SimpleLogger().Write() << g_GIT_DESCRIPTION;
+        SimpleLogger().Write() << OSRM_VERSION;
         return false;
     }
 
diff --git a/util/routed_options.hpp b/util/routed_options.hpp
index 5701514af..0edb7fe6c 100644
--- a/util/routed_options.hpp
+++ b/util/routed_options.hpp
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 #ifndef ROUTED_OPTIONS_HPP
 #define ROUTED_OPTIONS_HPP
 
-#include "git_sha.hpp"
+#include "version.hpp"
 #include "ini_file.hpp"
 #include "osrm_exception.hpp"
 #include "simple_logger.hpp"
@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ inline unsigned GenerateServerProgramOptions(const int argc,
 
     if (option_variables.count("version"))
     {
-        SimpleLogger().Write() << g_GIT_DESCRIPTION;
+        SimpleLogger().Write() << OSRM_VERSION;
         return INIT_OK_DO_NOT_START_ENGINE;
     }
 
diff --git a/util/git_sha.hpp b/util/version.hpp
similarity index 84%
rename from util/git_sha.hpp
rename to util/version.hpp
index b0a9a7ca3..ae4677a00 100644
--- a/util/git_sha.hpp
+++ b/util/version.hpp
@@ -25,9 +25,13 @@ SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 
 */
 
-#ifndef GIT_SHA_HPP
-#define GIT_SHA_HPP
+#ifndef VERSION_HPP
+#define VERSION_HPP
 
-extern char g_GIT_DESCRIPTION[];
+#define OSRM_VERSION_MAJOR "4"
+#define OSRM_VERSION_MINOR "8"
+#define OSRM_VERSION_PATCH "0"
 
-#endif // GIT_SHA_HPP
+#define OSRM_VERSION "v" OSRM_VERSION_MAJOR "." OSRM_VERSION_MINOR "." OSRM_VERSION_PATCH
+
+#endif // VERSION_HPP
diff --git a/util/git_sha.cpp.in b/util/version.hpp.in
similarity index 81%
rename from util/git_sha.cpp.in
rename to util/version.hpp.in
index e3686da19..2eafd48a5 100644
--- a/util/git_sha.cpp.in
+++ b/util/version.hpp.in
@@ -25,7 +25,13 @@ SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 
 */
 
-#include "git_sha.hpp"
+#ifndef VERSION_HPP
+#define VERSION_HPP
 
-#define GIT_DESCRIPTION "${GIT_DESCRIPTION}"
-char g_GIT_DESCRIPTION[] = GIT_DESCRIPTION;
+#define OSRM_VERSION_MAJOR "@OSRM_VERSION_MAJOR@"
+#define OSRM_VERSION_MINOR "@OSRM_VERSION_MINOR@"
+#define OSRM_VERSION_PATCH "@OSRM_VERSION_PATCH@"
+
+#define OSRM_VERSION "v" OSRM_VERSION_MAJOR "." OSRM_VERSION_MINOR "." OSRM_VERSION_PATCH
+
+#endif // VERSION_HPP