diff --git a/helix-term/build.rs b/helix-term/build.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..61ffa6f4f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/helix-term/build.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+use std::process::Command;
+
+fn main() {
+    let git_hash = Command::new("git")
+        .args(&["describe", "--dirty"])
+        .output()
+        .map(|x| String::from_utf8(x.stdout).ok())
+        .ok()
+        .flatten()
+        .unwrap_or_else(|| String::from(env!("CARGO_PKG_VERSION")));
+    println!("cargo:rustc-env=VERSION_AND_GIT_HASH={}", git_hash);
+}
diff --git a/helix-term/src/main.rs b/helix-term/src/main.rs
index e178b339d..3ae4f7c9b 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/main.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/main.rs
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ FLAGS:
     -V, --version    Prints version information
 ",
         env!("CARGO_PKG_NAME"),
-        env!("CARGO_PKG_VERSION"),
+        env!("VERSION_AND_GIT_HASH"),
         env!("CARGO_PKG_AUTHORS"),
         env!("CARGO_PKG_DESCRIPTION"),
         logpath.display(),
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ FLAGS:
     }
 
     if args.display_version {
-        println!("helix {}", env!("CARGO_PKG_VERSION"));
+        println!("helix {}", env!("VERSION_AND_GIT_HASH"));
         std::process::exit(0);
     }