diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d6a0f3a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+VERSION_MAJOR = 0
+VERSION_MINOR = 1
+VERSION_PATCH = 0
diff --git a/cmake/options.cmake b/cmake/options.cmake
index 25c7c96..4b86616 100644
--- a/cmake/options.cmake
+++ b/cmake/options.cmake
@@ -1,7 +1,17 @@
-set (PROJECT_VER_MAJOR  0)
-set (PROJECT_VER_MINOR  1)
-set (PROJECT_VER_PATCH  0)
-set (PROJECT_VER        0.1.0)
+file(READ ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/VERSION ver)
+
+string(REGEX MATCH "VERSION_MAJOR = ([0-9]*)" _ ${ver})
+set(PROJECT_VERSION_MAJOR ${CMAKE_MATCH_1})
+
+string(REGEX MATCH "VERSION_MINOR = ([0-9]*)" _ ${ver})
+set(PROJECT_VERSION_MINOR ${CMAKE_MATCH_1})
+
+string(REGEX MATCH "VERSION_PATCH = ([0-9]*)" _ ${ver})
+set(PROJECT_VERSION_PATCH ${CMAKE_MATCH_1})
+
+set(PROJECT_VERSION ${PROJECT_VERSION_MAJOR}.${PROJECT_VERSION_MINOR}.${PROJECT_VERSION_PATCH})
+
+message(STATUS "libmetal version: ${PROJECT_VERSION} (${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR})")
 
 if (NOT DEFINED CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE)
   set (CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE Debug)
diff --git a/lib/CMakeLists.txt b/lib/CMakeLists.txt
index 0a93487..121e0c6 100644
--- a/lib/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/lib/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -83,8 +83,8 @@ else (WITH_ZEPHYR)
     endif (PROJECT_EC_FLAGS)
     set_target_properties (${_lib} PROPERTIES
       OUTPUT_NAME       "${PROJECT_NAME}"
-      VERSION           "${PROJECT_VER}"
-      SOVERSION         "${PROJECT_VER_MAJOR}"
+      VERSION           "${PROJECT_VERSION}"
+      SOVERSION         "${PROJECT_VERSION_MAJOR}"
     )
   endif (WITH_SHARED_LIB)
 
diff --git a/lib/config.h b/lib/config.h
index 6cc739c..7661a13 100644
--- a/lib/config.h
+++ b/lib/config.h
@@ -17,16 +17,16 @@ extern "C" {
 #endif
 
 /** Library major version number. */
-#define METAL_VER_MAJOR		@PROJECT_VER_MAJOR@
+#define METAL_VER_MAJOR		@PROJECT_VERSION_MAJOR@
 
 /** Library minor version number. */
-#define METAL_VER_MINOR		@PROJECT_VER_MINOR@
+#define METAL_VER_MINOR		@PROJECT_VERSION_MINOR@
 
 /** Library patch level. */
-#define METAL_VER_PATCH		@PROJECT_VER_PATCH@
+#define METAL_VER_PATCH		@PROJECT_VERSION_PATCH@
 
 /** Library version string. */
-#define METAL_VER		"@PROJECT_VER@"
+#define METAL_VER		"@PROJECT_VERSION@"
 
 /** System type (linux, generic, ...). */
 #define METAL_SYSTEM		"@PROJECT_SYSTEM@"