diff --git a/scripts/write-version b/scripts/write-version
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..81562fbb8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/write-version
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+#
+# arguments:
+#	$1 - target H file
+#	$2 - fallback version string
+#	$3 - os name {linux|darwin|win}
+#
+# doesn't have much error checking!
+# should be started from where .git is!
+#
+
+if [ "$#" -lt 3 ]; then
+	echo "ERROR: missing arguments";
+	exit 1;
+fi
+
+# set OS and TARGET
+TARGET=$1
+TARGET_TEMP=$TARGET.tmp
+VERSION=$2
+OS=$3
+
+# get the full version: git based or hardcoded from .gitversion or the fallback version string
+if gitpwd=`git rev-parse --show-toplevel 2> /dev/null`; then
+	FULL_VER=`sh "$gitpwd/scripts/get-version" linux`
+else
+	FULL_VER=`cat .gitversion 2> /dev/null || echo $VERSION`
+fi
+
+# grab some strings from get-version
+CANONICAL_VER=`sh ./scripts/get-version full $FULL_VER`
+OS_USABLE_VER=`sh ./scripts/get-version $OS $FULL_VER`
+
+# write to a temp file
+echo "#define VERSION_STRING \"$OS_USABLE_VER\"" > $TARGET_TEMP
+echo "#define GIT_VERSION_STRING \"$FULL_VER\"" >> $TARGET_TEMP
+echo "#define CANONICAL_VERSION_STRING \"$CANONICAL_VER\"" >> $TARGET_TEMP
+
+# if the target file is missing create it
+if [ ! -f $TARGET ]; then
+	CMD=`touch $TARGET`
+fi
+
+# if the temp file and the target file differ, replace the target file with the temp file
+CMD=`diff -q $TARGET $TARGET_TEMP || cp $TARGET_TEMP $TARGET`
+
+# remove the temp file
+CMD=`rm -f $TARGET_TEMP`
diff --git a/subsurface-gen-version.pri b/subsurface-gen-version.pri
index 7d4cda513..8e3f06a7e 100644
--- a/subsurface-gen-version.pri
+++ b/subsurface-gen-version.pri
@@ -1,40 +1,16 @@
 # Generate the ssrf-version.h file
-VERSION_FILE = ssrf-version.h
 macx: VER_OS = darwin
 unix: !macx: VER_OS = linux
 win32: VER_OS = win
-exists(.git/HEAD): {
-	win32: SET_GIT_DIR = set GIT_DIR
-	else: SET_GIT_DIR = GIT_DIR
-	GIT_HEAD = .git/HEAD
-	VERSION_SCRIPT = $$PWD/scripts/get-version
-	# always use linux here -------------------vvv	so we get the true full version
-	FULL_VERSION = "`$$VERSION_SCRIPT linux`"
-	VERSION = $$system("sh scripts/get-version full || echo $${VERSION}")
-	PRODVERSION_STRING = $$system("sh scripts/get-version win $$FULL_VERSION || echo $${VERSION}.0.0-git")
-	VERSION_STRING = $$system("sh scripts/get-version linux $$FULL_VERSION || echo $${VERSION}-git")
-	version_h.depends = $$VERSION_SCRIPT $$PWD/.git/$$system("$$SET_GIT_DIR=$$PWD/.git git rev-parse --symbolic-full-name HEAD")
-	version_h.commands = echo \\$${LITERAL_HASH}define VERSION_STRING \\\"`GIT_DIR=$$PWD/.git $$VERSION_SCRIPT $$VER_OS || echo $$VERSION-git`\\\" > ${QMAKE_FILE_OUT}
-	version_h.commands += $$escape_expand(\\n)$$escape_expand(\\t)
-	version_h.commands += echo \\$${LITERAL_HASH}define GIT_VERSION_STRING \\\"`GIT_DIR=$$PWD/.git $$VERSION_SCRIPT linux || echo $$VERSION-git`\\\" >> ${QMAKE_FILE_OUT}
-	version_h.commands += $$escape_expand(\\n)$$escape_expand(\\t)
-	version_h.commands += echo \\$${LITERAL_HASH}define CANONICAL_VERSION_STRING \\\"`GIT_DIR=$$PWD/.git $$VERSION_SCRIPT full || echo $$VERSION-git`\\\" >> ${QMAKE_FILE_OUT}
-	version_h.input = GIT_HEAD
-	version_h.output = $$VERSION_FILE
-	version_h.variable_out = GENERATED_FILES
-	version_h.CONFIG = ignore_no_exist
-	QMAKE_EXTRA_COMPILERS += version_h
-} else {
-	# This is probably a package
-	exists(.gitversion): {
-		FULL_VERSION = $$system("cat .gitversion")
-	} else {
-		FULL_VERSION = $$VERSION
-	}
-	CANONICAL_VERSION = $$system("sh scripts/get-version full $$FULL_VERSION")
-	OS_USABLE_VERSION = $$system("sh scripts/get-version $$VER_OS $$FULL_VERSION")
-	system(echo \\$${LITERAL_HASH}define VERSION_STRING \\\"$$OS_USABLE_VERSION\\\" > $$VERSION_FILE)
-	system(echo \\$${LITERAL_HASH}define GIT_VERSION_STRING \\\"$$FULL_VERSION\\\" >> $$VERSION_FILE)
-	system(echo \\$${LITERAL_HASH}define CANONICAL_VERSION_STRING \\\"$$CANONICAL_VERSION\\\" >> $$VERSION_FILE)
-	QMAKE_CLEAN += $$VERSION_FILE
-}
+
+# use a compiler target that has a phony input and is forced on each `make` invocation
+# the resulted file is not a link target and is cleared with `make clean`
+PHONY_DEPS = .
+version_h.input = PHONY_DEPS
+version_h.depends = FORCE
+version_h.output = $$VERSION_FILE
+version_h.commands = cd $$PWD && sh $$PWD/scripts/write-version $$VERSION_FILE $$VERSION $$VER_OS
+silent: version_h.commands = @echo Checking $$VERSION_FILE && $$version_h.commads
+version_h.CONFIG += no_link
+QMAKE_EXTRA_COMPILERS += version_h
+QMAKE_CLEAN += $$VERSION_FILE
diff --git a/subsurface.pro b/subsurface.pro
index 7a00d7492..a34bc091a 100644
--- a/subsurface.pro
+++ b/subsurface.pro
@@ -20,8 +20,12 @@ else: TARGET = subsurface
 QMAKE_CLEAN += $$TARGET
 
 VERSION = 4.4
+VERSION_FILE = $$OUT_PWD/ssrf-version.h
+# create a blank VERSION_FILE if missing
+system(cat $$VERSION_FILE > /dev/null 2>&1 || touch $$VERSION_FILE)
 
 HEADERS = \
+	$$VERSION_FILE \
 	cochran.h \
 	color.h \
 	deco.h \