diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index e96d07a..0c742b8 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -7,9 +7,8 @@ if (POLICY CMP0077)
   cmake_policy(SET CMP0077 NEW)
 endif()
 
-# The version number
-set (OPENAMP_VERSION_MAJOR 1)
-set (OPENAMP_VERSION_MINOR 0)
+set (OPENAMP_ROOT_DIR "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}")
+set (OPENAMP_BIN_ROOT "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}")
 
 list (APPEND CMAKE_MODULE_PATH
   "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/cmake"
@@ -26,8 +25,6 @@ include (options)
 include (depends)
 enable_testing ()
 
-set (OPENAMP_ROOT_DIR "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}")
-set (OPENAMP_BIN_ROOT "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}")
 
 if (WITH_OBSOLETE)
   add_subdirectory (obsolete)
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 6c367d7..edb3689 100644
--- a/cmake/options.cmake
+++ b/cmake/options.cmake
@@ -1,7 +1,22 @@
-set (PROJECT_VER_MAJOR  0)
-set (PROJECT_VER_MINOR  1)
-set (PROJECT_VER_PATCH  0)
-set (PROJECT_VER        0.1.0)
+file(READ ${OPENAMP_ROOT_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 "open-amp version: ${PROJECT_VERSION} (${OPENAMP_ROOT_DIR})")
+
+add_definitions( -DOPENAMP_VERSION_MAJOR=${PROJECT_VERSION_MAJOR} )
+add_definitions( -DOPENAMP_VERSION_MINOR=${PROJECT_VERSION_MINOR} )
+add_definitions( -DOPENAMP_VERSION_PATCH=${PROJECT_VERSION_PATCH} )
+add_definitions( -DOPENAMP_VERSION="${PROJECT_VERSION}" )
 
 if (NOT DEFINED CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE)
   set (CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE Debug)
diff --git a/lib/CMakeLists.txt b/lib/CMakeLists.txt
index aa2edc5..aade118 100644
--- a/lib/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/lib/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -45,8 +45,8 @@ else (WITH_ZEPHYR)
     install (TARGETS ${_lib} LIBRARY DESTINATION ${CMAKE_INSTALL_LIBDIR})
     set_target_properties (${_lib} PROPERTIES
       OUTPUT_NAME       "${OPENAMP_LIB}"
-      VERSION           "${PROJECT_VER}"
-      SOVERSION         "${PROJECT_VER_MAJOR}"
+      VERSION           "${PROJECT_VERSION}"
+      SOVERSION         "${PROJECT_VERSION_MAJOR}"
     )
   endif (WITH_SHARED_LIB)