diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -161,9 +161,6 @@ else()
   message(STATUS "The compiler ${CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER} has no C++11 support. Please use a different C++ compiler.")
 endif()
 
-# version number
-set(VERSION_STRING "0.8.1" CACHE STRING "Program version number.")
-
 # get revision number from mercurial
 find_program(MERCURIAL hg)
 
@@ -183,9 +180,7 @@ if (NOT VERSION_REVISION)
 endif (NOT VERSION_REVISION)
 
 message("SCM revision: ${VERSION_REVISION}")
-
-# configure version file
-configure_file("${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/src/version.h.in" "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/version.h")
+set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS} -DVERSION_REVISION=\\\"${VERSION_REVISION}\\\" ")
 
 # add make run target
 add_custom_target(run
diff --git a/src/version.h b/src/version.h
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/version.h
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+/*
+  Copyright © 2017 Hasan Yavuz Özderya
+
+  This file is part of serialplot.
+
+  serialplot is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+  it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+  the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+  (at your option) any later version.
+
+  serialplot is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+  but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+  MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+  GNU General Public License for more details.
+
+  You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+  along with serialplot.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+*/
+
+#ifndef VERSION_H
+#define VERSION_H
+
+#ifndef VERSION_STRING
+#define VERSION_STRING   "0.8.1"
+#endif
+
+#ifndef VERSION_REVISION
+#define VERSION_REVISION ""
+#endif
+
+#endif // VERSION_H