diff --git a/build.sh b/build.sh
index bde1b21..af9d58e 100644
--- a/build.sh
+++ b/build.sh
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ single_build() {
 	# GOARCH/GOOS supplied in function env
 	go build \
 		-a \
-		-ldflags '-s -w' \
+		-ldflags "-s -w -X main.VERSION=nmdc-webfrontend/${version}" \
 		-gcflags "-trimpath=${GOPATH}" \
 		-asmflags "-trimpath=${GOPATH}" \
 		-o "$(pathfix "${tmpdir}/${local_bin_name}")"
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 09db542..6ae8d2b 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -12,9 +12,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/googollee/go-socket.io"
 )
 
-const (
-	VERSION = `nmdc-webfrontend/1.1.2`
-)
+var VERSION string = `nmdc-webfrontend/devel-unreleased`
 
 type App struct {
 	cfg *Config