diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index e0bfb17..1780954 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@
 
 default: debian/tyto.deb
 
+VERSION=$(shell git describe --tags | cut -c 2-)
+
 ### MAKE DEB
 
 .INTERMEDIATE: debian/control debian/debian-binary debian/control.tar.gz debian/data.tar.gz
@@ -21,7 +23,7 @@ debian/data.tar.gz:
 	cd src && tar czvf ../debian/data.tar.gz usr var
 
 debian/control: debian/control_template
-	cat $< | sed "s/VERSION/`git describe --tags`/g" > $@
+	cat $< | sed "s/VERSION/$(VERSION)/g" > $@
 
 debian/control.tar.gz: debian/control
 	cd debian && tar czvf control.tar.gz control #preinst postinst prerm postrm