diff --git a/build.sh b/build.sh
index 80756ce9..5875eba9 100755
--- a/build.sh
+++ b/build.sh
@@ -78,11 +78,11 @@ fi
 
 # force version update
 get_tag
-echo "var GUI_VERSION = \"$VERSIONTAG\"" > version.js
+echo "var GUI_VERSION = \"$TAGNAME\"" > version.js
 pushd "$MONERO_DIR"
 get_tag
 popd
-echo "var GUI_MONERO_VERSION = \"$VERSIONTAG\"" >> version.js
+echo "var GUI_MONERO_VERSION = \"$TAGNAME\"" >> version.js
 
 cd build
 qmake ../monero-wallet-gui.pro "$CONFIG" || exit
diff --git a/utils.sh b/utils.sh
index 556cc5d3..fcaaa69d 100755
--- a/utils.sh
+++ b/utils.sh
@@ -53,6 +53,12 @@ function get_tag()
         echo "You are ahead of or behind a tagged release"
         VERSIONTAG="$COMMIT"
       fi
+      # save tag name + commit if availible
+      TAGNAME=$(git describe | sed -e 's/[\t ]*//')
+      if test -z "$TAGNAME"
+      then
+        TAGNAME="$VERSIONTAG"
+      fi
     fi
   fi
 }