diff --git a/src/Makefile b/src/Makefile
index 668d735..8f9d272 100644
--- a/src/Makefile
+++ b/src/Makefile
@@ -9,13 +9,12 @@ sdist: dist/msspec-$(VERSION).tar.gz
 frontend: $(INSTALL_PREFIX)/bin/msspec
 
 
-dist/msspec-$(VERSION).tar.gz: VERSION
+dist/msspec-$(VERSION).tar.gz: msspec/VERSION
 	@echo "Creating Python source distribution..."
-	@+$(INSIDE_VENV) pip install build
-	@+$(INSIDE_VENV) $(PYTHON_EXE) -m build
+	@+$(INSIDE_VENV) pip install build && python -m build
 
 
-$(INSTALL_PREFIX)/bin/msspec: msspec.sh.template VERSION
+$(INSTALL_PREFIX)/bin/msspec: msspec.sh.template msspec/VERSION
 	@echo "Installing frontend command..."
 	@mkdir -p $(dir $@)
 	@cat $< | sed -e 's#__VENV_PATH__#$(VENV_PATH)#' > $@
@@ -26,7 +25,7 @@ pybinding:
 	@echo "Building Python binding for phagen and spec..."
 	@+$(MAKE) -C msspec/phagen/fortran all
 	@+$(MAKE) -C msspec/spec/fortran all
-	@echo "$(VERSION)" > VERSION
+	@echo "$(VERSION)" > msspec/VERSION
 
 
 results: msspec/results.txt
@@ -54,7 +53,7 @@ clean::
 #	remove previous sdist
 	@rm -rf dist
 	@rm -rf *.egg*
-	@rm -f VERSION
+	@rm -f msspec/VERSION
 
 
 help:
diff --git a/src/msspec/version.py b/src/msspec/version.py
index bcd00c0..ebf350c 100644
--- a/src/msspec/version.py
+++ b/src/msspec/version.py
@@ -23,29 +23,37 @@
 
 import os
 
-from setuptools_scm import get_version
 from importlib.metadata import version
 import subprocess
 
 # find the version number
-# 1- If it fails, try to read it from the distribution file
-# 2- Try to read it from the git info
-# 3- If it fails, try to read it from the VERSION file
+# 1- Try to read it from the git info
+# 2- If it fails, try to read it from the VERSION file
+# 3- If it fails, try to read it from the distribution file
 
 PKGNAME = 'msspec'
 
 try:
-    __version__ = get_version(root='../..', relative_to=__file__)
+    cmd = ["git describe|sed 's/-\([0-9]\+\)-.*/.dev\\1/g'"]
+    result = subprocess.run(cmd, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, shell=True)
+    __version__ = result.stdout.decode('utf-8').strip()
+    if __version__ != "":
+        print("from git: ", __version__)
+    else:
+        raise NameError("Not a git repo")
 except Exception as err:
+    print(err)
     try:
-        __version__ = version(PKGNAME)
+        thisfile_path = os.path.abspath(__file__)
+        thisfile_dir = os.path.dirname(thisfile_path)
+        versionfile = os.path.join(thisfile_dir, "./VERSION")
+        with open(versionfile, "r") as fd:
+            __version__ = fd.readline().strip()
+            print("from VERSION: ", __version__)
     except Exception as err:
         try:
-            thisfile_path = os.path.abspath(__file__)
-            thisfile_dir = os.path.dirname(thisfile_path)
-            versionfile = os.path.join(thisfile_dir, "../VERSION")
-            with open(versionfile, "r") as fd:
-                __version__ = fd.readline().strip()
+            __version__ = version(PKGNAME)
+            print("from metadata: ", __version__)
         except Exception as err:
             print("Unable to get the version number!")
             __version__ = "0.0.0"
diff --git a/src/options.mk b/src/options.mk
index 15cb602..5e08919 100644
--- a/src/options.mk
+++ b/src/options.mk
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ F2PYFLAGS_DBG = --debug-capi --debug
 # /!\ DO NOT EDIT BELOW THAT LINE (unlesss you know what you're doing...)      #
 # CORE CONFIGURATION                                                           #
 ################################################################################
-VERSION:=$(shell git describe)
+VERSION:=$(shell git describe|sed 's/-\([0-9]\+\)-.*/.dev\1/g')
 VENV_PATH := $(INSTALL_PREFIX)/src/msspec_venv_$(VERSION)
 
 
diff --git a/src/setup.cfg b/src/setup.cfg
index ce2c01f..a4df7f2 100644
--- a/src/setup.cfg
+++ b/src/setup.cfg
@@ -50,5 +50,6 @@ install_requires =
     terminaltables
 
 [options.package_data]
-msspec.phagen.fortran = *.so
-msspec.spec.fortran = *.so
+msspec.phagen = fortran/*.so
+msspec.spec = fortran/*.so
+msspec = VERSION