diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index faf7b98..c9be8fa 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -66,7 +66,9 @@ CFLAGS += -DCGIT_CACHE_ROOT='"$(CACHE_ROOT)"'
 cgit: $(OBJECTS)
 	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -o cgit $(OBJECTS) $(EXTLIBS)
 
-$(OBJECTS): git/xdiff/lib.a git/libgit.a VERSION
+$(OBJECTS): git/xdiff/lib.a git/libgit.a
+
+cgit.o: VERSION
 
 -include $(OBJECTS:.o=.d)
 
diff --git a/cgit.c b/cgit.c
index b3dd119..3943a0f 100644
--- a/cgit.c
+++ b/cgit.c
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@
 #include "cmd.h"
 #include "ui-shared.h"
 
+const char *cgit_version = CGIT_VERSION;
+
 void config_cb(const char *name, const char *value)
 {
 	if (!strcmp(name, "root-title"))
diff --git a/shared.c b/shared.c
index cd60da5..48002ac 100644
--- a/shared.c
+++ b/shared.c
@@ -12,8 +12,6 @@ struct cgit_repolist cgit_repolist;
 struct cgit_context ctx;
 int cgit_cmd;
 
-const char *cgit_version = CGIT_VERSION;
-
 int chk_zero(int result, char *msg)
 {
 	if (result != 0)