diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 185fc96b2..fb260eb55 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -9,7 +9,11 @@
 # configure the build process.
 #
 
-AC_INIT(fish,2.0.0,fish-users@lists.sf.net)
+m4_syscmd([build_tools/git_version_gen.sh 2>/dev/null])
+
+AC_INIT(fish,
+        m4_esyscmd_s([cut -f 3 -d ' ' FISH-BUILD-VERSION-FILE]),
+        fish-users@lists.sf.net)
 
 conf_arg=$@