diff --git a/s/build b/s/build
index 1d580a349..611234dc0 100755
--- a/s/build
+++ b/s/build
@@ -42,5 +42,7 @@ fi
 
 echo "build eressea"
 cd $ROOT/$BUILD
+VERSION=$(git describe --tags)
+cmake -DERESSEA_VERSION="$VERSION" ..
 make $MAKEOPTS && make test
 cd $OLDPWD
diff --git a/src/CMakeLists.txt b/src/CMakeLists.txt
index 118d88096..f1414c851 100644
--- a/src/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -12,6 +12,10 @@ include_directories (${TOLUA_INCLUDE_DIR})
 include_directories (${BSON_INCLUDE_DIR})
 include_directories (${INIPARSER_INCLUDE_DIR})
 
+IF(DEFINED ERESSEA_VERSION)
+    SET(CMAKE_C_FLAGS "${CMAKE_C_FLAGS} -DERESSEA_VERSION=\\\"${ERESSEA_VERSION}\\\"")
+ENDIF()
+
 IF(CMAKE_COMPILER_IS_GNUCC OR CMAKE_COMPILER_IS_CLANG)
 #    SET(CMAKE_C_FLAGS "${CMAKE_C_FLAGS} -Wconversion -Wno-sign-conversion")
     SET(CMAKE_C_FLAGS "${CMAKE_C_FLAGS} -pedantic -Wsign-compare -Wall -Werror -Wno-unknown-pragmas -Wstrict-prototypes -Wpointer-arith -Wno-char-subscripts -Wno-long-long")