diff --git a/include/version.cpp b/include/version.cpp
index 119403e13..22921202b 100644
--- a/include/version.cpp
+++ b/include/version.cpp
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ static bool read_version_sh(const std::string &version_sh, std::map<std::string,
 	return true;
 }
 
-static bool write_build_h(const std::string &buildh)
+static bool write_build_h(const std::string &buildh, const std::string &git_version)
 {
 	std::fstream fd(buildh.c_str(), std::ios::in);
 
@@ -107,6 +107,8 @@ static bool write_build_h(const std::string &buildh)
 
 	fd << "/* This file is automatically generated by version.cpp - do not edit it! */" << std::endl;
 	fd << build << std::endl;
+	if (!git_version.empty())
+		fd << "#define GIT_VERSION \"" << git_version << "\"" << std::endl;
 	fd.close();
 
 	return true;
@@ -171,10 +173,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 		return -1;
 
 	std::string git_version = get_git_hash(git_dir);
-	if (!git_version.empty())
-		versions["VERSION_GIT"] = '"' + git_version + '"';
-
-	if (!write_build_h(buildh))
+	if (!write_build_h(buildh, git_version))
 		return -1;
 
 	read_version_h(versionh, old_versions);