diff --git a/paparazzi_version b/paparazzi_version
index f137c8e33c..6b01cf7563 100755
--- a/paparazzi_version
+++ b/paparazzi_version
@@ -6,7 +6,13 @@ DEF_VER=v5.1_devel
 # then use default version from above (for release tarballs).
 if test -d .git -o -f .git
 then
-	VN=$(git describe --match "v[0-9].[0-9]*" --dirty --always --long)
+	GIT_VN=$(git describe --match "v[0-9].[0-9]*" --dirty --always --long)
+    if echo "$GIT_VN" | grep -Eq "^v[0-9].[0-9]"
+    then
+        VN="$GIT_VN"
+    else
+        VN="$DEF_VER"-none-g"$GIT_VN"
+    fi
 else
 	VN="$DEF_VER"
 fi