diff --git a/makefile b/makefile
index bd233938c5..8576b30618 100644
--- a/makefile
+++ b/makefile
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 MAKEFLAGS = -s
 
 name = avian
+version = 0.0.1
 
 build-arch = $(shell uname -m)
 ifeq ($(build-arch),i586)
@@ -55,7 +56,7 @@ warnings = -Wall -Wextra -Werror -Wunused-parameter \
 
 common-cflags = $(warnings) -fno-rtti -fno-exceptions \
 	-I$(JAVA_HOME)/include -idirafter $(src) -I$(native-build) \
-	-D__STDC_LIMIT_MACROS -D_JNI_IMPLEMENTATION_
+	-D__STDC_LIMIT_MACROS -D_JNI_IMPLEMENTATION_ -DAVIAN_VERSION=\"$(version)\"
 
 build-cflags = $(common-cflags) -fPIC -fvisibility=hidden \
 	-I$(JAVA_HOME)/include/linux -I$(src) -pthread
diff --git a/src/builtin.cpp b/src/builtin.cpp
index 58b4199cab..f711e86808 100644
--- a/src/builtin.cpp
+++ b/src/builtin.cpp
@@ -441,7 +441,7 @@ Java_java_lang_System_getVMProperty(Thread* t, jclass, jstring name,
   if (strcmp(n, "java.lang.classpath") == 0) {
     r = makeLocalReference(t, makeString(t, "%s", t->m->finder->path()));
   } else if (strcmp(n, "avian.version") == 0) {
-    r = makeLocalReference(t, makeString(t, "0.0"));
+    r = makeLocalReference(t, makeString(t, AVIAN_VERSION));
   }
   
   if (r) {