diff --git a/sw/ground_segment/tmtc/server.ml b/sw/ground_segment/tmtc/server.ml
index fababcf93e..eeb8facd26 100644
--- a/sw/ground_segment/tmtc/server.ml
+++ b/sw/ground_segment/tmtc/server.ml
@@ -101,20 +101,6 @@ let log_xml = fun timeofday data_file ->
 
 let start_time = U.gettimeofday ()
 
-(* Run a command and return its results as a string. *)
-let read_process command =
-  let buffer_size = 2048 in
-  let buffer = Buffer.create buffer_size in
-  let string = String.create buffer_size in
-  let in_channel = Unix.open_process_in command in
-  let chars_read = ref 1 in
-  while !chars_read <> 0 do
-    chars_read := input in_channel string 0 buffer_size;
-    Buffer.add_substring buffer string 0 !chars_read
-  done;
-  ignore (Unix.close_process_in in_channel);
-  Buffer.contents buffer
-
 (* Opens the log files *)
 let logger = fun () ->
   let d = U.localtime start_time in
@@ -127,11 +113,7 @@ let logger = fun () ->
   and data_name = sprintf "%s.data" basename in
   let f = open_out (logs_path // log_name) in
   (* version string with whitespace/newline at the end stripped *)
-  let version_str =
-    try
-      Str.replace_first (Str.regexp "[ \n]+$") "" (read_process (Env.paparazzi_src ^ "/paparazzi_version"))
-    with _ -> "UNKNOWN" in
-  output_string f ("<!-- logged with runtime paparazzi_version " ^ version_str ^ " -->\n");
+  output_string f ("<!-- logged with runtime paparazzi_version " ^  Env.get_paparazzi_version () ^ " -->\n");
   let build_str =
     try
       let f = open_in (Env.paparazzi_home ^ "/var/build_version.txt") in
diff --git a/sw/lib/ocaml/env.ml b/sw/lib/ocaml/env.ml
index e33e12c504..35e5a9ab01 100644
--- a/sw/lib/ocaml/env.ml
+++ b/sw/lib/ocaml/env.ml
@@ -165,3 +165,22 @@ let expand_ac_xml = fun ?(raise_exception = true) ac_conf ->
 
   let children = Xml.children ac_conf@optionals in
   make_element (Xml.tag ac_conf) (Xml.attribs ac_conf) children
+
+(* Run a command and return its results as a string. *)
+let read_process command =
+  let buffer_size = 2048 in
+  let buffer = Buffer.create buffer_size in
+  let string = String.create buffer_size in
+  let in_channel = Unix.open_process_in command in
+  let chars_read = ref 1 in
+  while !chars_read <> 0 do
+    chars_read := input in_channel string 0 buffer_size;
+    Buffer.add_substring buffer string 0 !chars_read
+  done;
+  ignore (Unix.close_process_in in_channel);
+  Buffer.contents buffer
+
+let get_paparazzi_version = fun () ->
+  try
+    Str.replace_first (Str.regexp "[ \n]+$") "" (read_process (paparazzi_src ^ "/paparazzi_version"))
+  with _ -> "UNKNOWN"
diff --git a/sw/lib/ocaml/env.mli b/sw/lib/ocaml/env.mli
index fdb932a9ef..993eefb59e 100644
--- a/sw/lib/ocaml/env.mli
+++ b/sw/lib/ocaml/env.mli
@@ -78,3 +78,6 @@ val expand_ac_xml : ?raise_exception:bool -> Xml.xml -> Xml.xml
 (** Expands a conf.xml aircraft entry, adding the XML configuration files
 (listed as attributes) as children. Returns an element containing the error
  message if raise_exception is false (default to true) *)
+
+val get_paparazzi_version : unit -> string
+(** read the current paparazzi_version *)
diff --git a/sw/lib/ocaml/xml2h.ml b/sw/lib/ocaml/xml2h.ml
index c7cfb38c15..4a4ac3fb79 100644
--- a/sw/lib/ocaml/xml2h.ml
+++ b/sw/lib/ocaml/xml2h.ml
@@ -49,10 +49,11 @@ let sprint_float_array = fun l ->
 
 let begin_out = fun xml_file h_name out ->
   fprintf out "/* This file has been generated from %s */\n" xml_file;
+  fprintf out "/* Version %s */\n" (Env.get_paparazzi_version ());
   fprintf out "/* Please DO NOT EDIT */\n\n";
   fprintf out "#ifndef %s\n" h_name;
   fprintf out "#define %s\n\n" h_name
-  
+
 let start_and_begin_out = fun xml_file h_name out ->
   let xml = Xml.parse_file xml_file in
   begin_out xml_file h_name out;
@@ -65,6 +66,7 @@ let start_and_begin = fun xml_file h_name ->
 
 let begin_c_out = fun xml_file name out ->
   fprintf out "/* This file has been generated from %s */\n" xml_file;
+  fprintf out "/* Version %s */\n" (Env.get_paparazzi_version ());
   fprintf out "/* Please DO NOT EDIT */\n\n";
   fprintf out "#include \"%s.h\"\n\n" name
 
diff --git a/sw/supervision/paparazzicenter.ml b/sw/supervision/paparazzicenter.ml
index 91b50e1901..22e23acf13 100644
--- a/sw/supervision/paparazzicenter.ml
+++ b/sw/supervision/paparazzicenter.ml
@@ -147,19 +147,6 @@ let quit_button_callback = fun gui ac_combo session_combo target_combo () ->
     2 -> quit_callback gui ac_combo session_combo target_combo ()
   | _ -> ()
 
-(* Run a command and return its results as a string. *)
-let read_process command =
-  let buffer_size = 2048 in
-  let buffer = Buffer.create buffer_size in
-  let string = String.create buffer_size in
-  let in_channel = Unix.open_process_in command in
-  let chars_read = ref 1 in
-  while !chars_read <> 0 do
-    chars_read := input in_channel string 0 buffer_size;
-    Buffer.add_substring buffer string 0 !chars_read
-  done;
-  ignore (Unix.close_process_in in_channel);
-  Buffer.contents buffer
 
 (************************** Main *********************************************)
 let () =
@@ -181,10 +168,7 @@ let () =
   gui#window#set_icon (Some paparazzi_pixbuf);
 
     (* version string with whitespace/newline at the end stripped *)
-  let version_str =
-    try
-      Str.replace_first (Str.regexp "[ \n]+$") "" (read_process (Env.paparazzi_src ^ "/paparazzi_version"))
-    with _ -> "UNKNOWN" in
+  let version_str = Env.get_paparazzi_version () in
   let build_str =
     try
       let f = open_in (Env.paparazzi_home ^ "/var/build_version.txt") in
diff --git a/sw/tools/generators/gen_abi.ml b/sw/tools/generators/gen_abi.ml
index 1c39a222b3..57364ed106 100644
--- a/sw/tools/generators/gen_abi.ml
+++ b/sw/tools/generators/gen_abi.ml
@@ -174,6 +174,7 @@ let () =
 
     (** Print file header *)
     Printf.fprintf h "/* Automatically generated by gen_abi from %s */\n" filename;
+    Printf.fprintf h "/* Version %s */\n" (Env.get_paparazzi_version ());
     Printf.fprintf h "/* Please DO NOT EDIT */\n\n";
     Printf.fprintf h "/* Onboard middleware library ABI\n";
     Printf.fprintf h " * send and receive messages of class %s\n" class_name;
diff --git a/sw/tools/generators/gen_aircraft.ml b/sw/tools/generators/gen_aircraft.ml
index 4df87752de..6ab3057ad2 100644
--- a/sw/tools/generators/gen_aircraft.ml
+++ b/sw/tools/generators/gen_aircraft.ml
@@ -239,6 +239,7 @@ let extract_makefile = fun ac_id airframe_file makefile_ac ->
   let f = open_out makefile_ac in
   fprintf f "# This file has been generated by gen_aircraft from %s by %s\n"
     airframe_file Sys.executable_name;
+  fprintf f "# Version %s\n" (Env.get_paparazzi_version ());
   fprintf f "# Please DO NOT EDIT\n";
   fprintf f "AC_ID=%s\n" ac_id;
 
diff --git a/sw/tools/generators/gen_autopilot.ml b/sw/tools/generators/gen_autopilot.ml
index 792842253e..3fbfb9ce6e 100644
--- a/sw/tools/generators/gen_autopilot.ml
+++ b/sw/tools/generators/gen_autopilot.ml
@@ -370,6 +370,7 @@ let parse_and_gen_modes xml_file ap_name main_freq h_dir sm =
 (* Output settings xml file *)
 let write_settings = fun xml_file out_set ap ->
   fprintf out_set "<!-- This file has been generated by gen_autopilot from %s -->\n" xml_file;
+  fprintf out_set "<!-- Version %s -->\n" (Env.get_paparazzi_version ());
   fprintf out_set "<!-- Please DO NOT EDIT -->\n\n";
   fprintf out_set "<settings>\n";
   fprintf out_set "  <dl_settings>\n";
diff --git a/sw/tools/generators/gen_flight_plan.ml b/sw/tools/generators/gen_flight_plan.ml
index fcff23af76..f95ed750b2 100644
--- a/sw/tools/generators/gen_flight_plan.ml
+++ b/sw/tools/generators/gen_flight_plan.ml
@@ -842,6 +842,7 @@ let () =
     else begin
       let h_name = "FLIGHT_PLAN_H" in
       printf "/* This file has been generated by gen_flight_plan from %s */\n" !xml_file;
+      printf "/* Version %s */\n" (Env.get_paparazzi_version ());
       printf "/* Please DO NOT EDIT */\n\n";
 
       printf "#ifndef %s\n" h_name;
diff --git a/sw/tools/generators/gen_messages.ml b/sw/tools/generators/gen_messages.ml
index 954e5cf90e..16a918ce5b 100644
--- a/sw/tools/generators/gen_messages.ml
+++ b/sw/tools/generators/gen_messages.ml
@@ -366,6 +366,7 @@ let () =
     let h = stdout in
 
     Printf.fprintf h "/* Automatically generated by gen_messages from %s */\n" filename;
+    Printf.fprintf h "/* Version %s */\n" (Env.get_paparazzi_version ());
     Printf.fprintf h "/* Please DO NOT EDIT */\n";
 
     Printf.fprintf h "/* Macros to send and receive messages of class %s */\n" class_name;
diff --git a/sw/tools/generators/gen_modules.ml b/sw/tools/generators/gen_modules.ml
index 35fa0fc490..0df7b88bc0 100644
--- a/sw/tools/generators/gen_modules.ml
+++ b/sw/tools/generators/gen_modules.ml
@@ -350,6 +350,7 @@ let check_dependencies = fun modules names ->
 
 let write_settings = fun xml_file out_set modules ->
   fprintf out_set "<!-- This file has been generated by gen_modules from %s -->\n" xml_file;
+  fprintf out_set "<!-- Version %s -->\n" (Env.get_paparazzi_version ());
   fprintf out_set "<!-- Please DO NOT EDIT -->\n\n";
   fprintf out_set "<settings>\n";
   fprintf out_set " <dl_settings>\n";
diff --git a/sw/tools/generators/gen_periodic.ml b/sw/tools/generators/gen_periodic.ml
index aac3c145a6..b45e12df57 100644
--- a/sw/tools/generators/gen_periodic.ml
+++ b/sw/tools/generators/gen_periodic.ml
@@ -109,6 +109,7 @@ let write_settings = fun xml_file out_set telemetry_xml ->
   (* filter xml file to remove unneeded process and modes (more than 1 mode per process) *)
   let filtered_xml = List.filter (fun p -> List.length (Xml.children p) > 1) (Xml.children telemetry_xml) in
   fprintf out_set "<!-- This file has been generated by gen_periodic from %s -->\n" xml_file;
+  fprintf out_set "<!-- Version %s -->\n" (Env.get_paparazzi_version ());
   fprintf out_set "<!-- Please DO NOT EDIT -->\n\n";
   fprintf out_set "<settings>\n";
   if List.length filtered_xml > 0 then begin
@@ -237,6 +238,7 @@ let _ =
 
   (** Print header *)
   fprintf out_h "/* This file has been generated by gen_periodic from %s and %s */\n" Sys.argv.(2) Sys.argv.(3);
+  fprintf out_h "/* Version %s */\n" (Env.get_paparazzi_version ());
   fprintf out_h "/* Please DO NOT EDIT */\n\n";
   fprintf out_h "#ifndef _VAR_PERIODIC_H_\n";
   fprintf out_h "#define _VAR_PERIODIC_H_\n\n";
diff --git a/sw/tools/generators/gen_radio.ml b/sw/tools/generators/gen_radio.ml
index 99afacfbc9..e24af43707 100644
--- a/sw/tools/generators/gen_radio.ml
+++ b/sw/tools/generators/gen_radio.ml
@@ -139,6 +139,7 @@ let _ =
   let xml = Xml.parse_file xml_file in
 
   printf "/* This file has been generated by gen_radio from %s */\n" xml_file;
+  printf "/* Version %s */\n" (Env.get_paparazzi_version ());
   printf "/* Please DO NOT EDIT */\n\n";
   printf "#ifndef %s\n" h_name;
   define h_name "";
diff --git a/sw/tools/generators/gen_settings.ml b/sw/tools/generators/gen_settings.ml
index 43d9e12bb1..3dfaafeeaf 100644
--- a/sw/tools/generators/gen_settings.ml
+++ b/sw/tools/generators/gen_settings.ml
@@ -356,6 +356,7 @@ let _ =
 
   try
     printf "/* This file has been generated by gen_settings from %s */\n" (String.concat " " !xml_files);
+    printf "/* Version %s */\n" (Env.get_paparazzi_version ());
     printf "/* Please DO NOT EDIT */\n\n";
 
     printf "#ifndef %s\n" h_name;