diff --git a/include/version.h.in b/include/version.h.in
index 96ced3b..5c8287e 100644
--- a/include/version.h.in
+++ b/include/version.h.in
@@ -1,3 +1,2 @@
 #pragma once
-#define GIT_HASH "@GIT_HASH@"
-#define GIT_COMMITS "@GIT_COMMITS@"
\ No newline at end of file
+#define GIT_HASH "@VCS_TAG@"
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 9df8566..a86723a 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -28,13 +28,12 @@ git = find_program('git')
 git_hash    = run_command(git, 'rev-parse', '--short', 'HEAD', check: false).stdout().strip()
 git_commits = run_command(git, 'rev-list', '--count', 'HEAD', check: false).stdout().strip()
 
-version_h = configure_file(
+version_h = vcs_tag(
     input  : 'include/version.h.in',
     output : 'version.h',
-    configuration : {
-        'GIT_HASH'    : git_hash,
-        'GIT_COMMITS' : git_commits,
-    }
+    command : ['git', 'describe', '--always', '--long', '--dirty'],
+    replace_string : '@VCS_TAG@',
+    fallback : 'unknown',
 )
 
 executable(
diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index f3ace82..6a6ef61 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -102,8 +102,8 @@ static void *display_thread(void *arg) {
 	lcd_set_contrast(&lcd, lcd_contrast);
 
 	lcd_write_buf(&lcd, 0, 14, "linuxSmartie");
-	lcd_writef(&lcd, 0, 2, "Ver. hash %s", GIT_HASH);
-	lcd_writef(&lcd, 0, 3, "Commit no. %s", GIT_COMMITS);
+	lcd_writef(&lcd, 0, 2, "git hash:");
+	lcd_writef(&lcd, 0, 3, "%s", GIT_HASH);
 	lcd_flush_buf(&lcd);
 	lcd_clear_buf(&lcd);
 	struct timespec next;
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ static void *display_thread(void *arg) {
 }
 
 int main(void) {
-	applog(LOG_START, "linuxSmartie r%s (%s) starting", GIT_COMMITS, GIT_HASH);
+	applog(LOG_START, "linuxSmartie %s starting", GIT_HASH);
 	applog(LOG_DBG, "Compiled with %s", C_STD);
 
 	/* see if another instance is up, quit if it is */