diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 351f0d0..a1794aa 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ test:	all
 	(cd tests; make test)
 
 clean:
-	rm -f $(TARGET) $(OBJS) version.h *~
+	rm -f $(TARGET) $(OBJS) *~
 
 count:
 	@echo "Core:"
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@ count:
 	@cat $(SRCS) *.h */*.h | wc
 
 depend:
-	touch version.h
 	$(CC) -MM $(SRCS) >.depend
 
 .PHONY: clibrary.c
diff --git a/clibrary.c b/clibrary.c
index 80e60ef..436beb7 100644
--- a/clibrary.c
+++ b/clibrary.c
@@ -1,8 +1,11 @@
 #include "picoc.h"
-#include "version.h"
 
 /* the picoc version string */
+#ifdef VER
 #define PICOC_VERSION "v2.1 beta r" VER         /* VER is the subversion version number, obtained via the Makefile */
+#else
+#define PICOC_VERSION "v2.1 beta"
+#endif
 static const char *VersionString = NULL;
 
 /* endian-ness checking */