diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..85b7c69
--- /dev/null
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+0.9.6
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index c82ba96..6e00c0c 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
-AC_INIT([plymouth],[0.9.6],[https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/plymouth/plymouth/issues])
+AC_INIT([plymouth],
+        m4_esyscmd_s([date +%y.%V.$(git rev-list $(git describe --abbrev=0)..HEAD --count) || echo 0]),
+        [https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/plymouth/plymouth/issues])
 AC_CONFIG_SRCDIR(src/main.c)
 AC_CONFIG_HEADER(config.h)
 AC_CONFIG_AUX_DIR(build-tools)