diff --git a/include/gluon.mk b/include/gluon.mk
index 5fc862c9..006a1b11 100644
--- a/include/gluon.mk
+++ b/include/gluon.mk
@@ -23,6 +23,9 @@ $(GLUON_SITEDIR)/site.mk:
 -include $(GLUON_SITEDIR)/site.mk
 
 
+GLUON_VERSION := $(shell cd $(GLUONDIR) && git describe --always 2>/dev/null || echo unknown)
+export GLUON_VERSION
+
 GLUON_CONFIG_VERSION := $(shell cd $(GLUON_SITEDIR) && git describe --always --dirty=.$$(stat -c %Y $(GLUON_SITEDIR)/site.conf) 2>/dev/null || stat -c %Y site.conf)
 export GLUON_CONFIG_VERSION