diff --git a/build/makefile_base.mak b/build/makefile_base.mak
index e81dc134..de68e7b3 100644
--- a/build/makefile_base.mak
+++ b/build/makefile_base.mak
@@ -276,7 +276,7 @@ $(DIST_COPY_TARGETS): | $(DST_DIR)
 	cp -a $(SRCDIR)/$(notdir $@) $@
 
 $(DIST_VERSION): | $(DST_DIR)
-	date '+%s' > $@
+	echo `date '+%s'` `GIT_DIR=$(abspath $(SRCDIR)/.git) git describe --tags` > $@
 	cp $(DIST_VERSION) $(DST_BASE)/
 
 $(DIST_COMPAT_MANIFEST): $(COMPAT_MANIFEST_TEMPLATE) $(MAKEFILE_DEP) | $(DST_DIR)