diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4cb74af1b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+14.02
diff --git a/base-codezero/src/core/target.inc b/base-codezero/src/core/target.inc
index efcdc655f..bc74b52d1 100644
--- a/base-codezero/src/core/target.inc
+++ b/base-codezero/src/core/target.inc
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@ INC_DIR     += $(REP_DIR)/src/core/include \
                $(REP_DIR)/include/codezero/dummies \
                $(BASE_DIR)/src/base/thread
 
+include $(GEN_CORE_DIR)/version.inc
+
 vpath main.cc                     $(GEN_CORE_DIR)
 vpath ram_session_component.cc    $(GEN_CORE_DIR)
 vpath rom_session_component.cc    $(GEN_CORE_DIR)
diff --git a/base-fiasco/src/core/target.inc b/base-fiasco/src/core/target.inc
index 5c52fe575..e3b444148 100644
--- a/base-fiasco/src/core/target.inc
+++ b/base-fiasco/src/core/target.inc
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@ INC_DIR     += $(REP_DIR)/src/core/include \
 
 LIBS        += base-common
 
+include $(GEN_CORE_DIR)/version.inc
+
 vpath main.cc                     $(GEN_CORE_DIR)
 vpath multiboot_info.cc           $(GEN_CORE_DIR)
 vpath ram_session_component.cc    $(GEN_CORE_DIR)
diff --git a/base-foc/src/core/target.inc b/base-foc/src/core/target.inc
index 3c6e3078d..ba2114ec4 100644
--- a/base-foc/src/core/target.inc
+++ b/base-foc/src/core/target.inc
@@ -42,6 +42,8 @@ INC_DIR     += $(REP_DIR)/src/core/include \
                $(BASE_DIR)/src/base/thread \
                $(REP_DIR)/src/base/console
 
+include $(GEN_CORE_DIR)/version.inc
+
 vpath context_area.cc             $(GEN_CORE_DIR)
 vpath cpu_session_component.cc    $(GEN_CORE_DIR)
 vpath dataspace_component.cc      $(GEN_CORE_DIR)
diff --git a/base-hw/src/core/target.inc b/base-hw/src/core/target.inc
index 366be47f4..546b1c232 100644
--- a/base-hw/src/core/target.inc
+++ b/base-hw/src/core/target.inc
@@ -60,6 +60,9 @@ SRC_CC += console.cc \
           pager.cc \
           _main.cc
 
+# provide Genode version information
+include $(BASE_DIR)/src/core/version.inc
+
 # declare file locations
 vpath _main.cc                    $(BASE_DIR)/src/platform
 vpath cpu_session_component.cc    $(BASE_DIR)/src/core
diff --git a/base-linux/src/core/target.mk b/base-linux/src/core/target.mk
index 2c32c381f..c1ff26894 100644
--- a/base-linux/src/core/target.mk
+++ b/base-linux/src/core/target.mk
@@ -45,6 +45,8 @@ LD_SCRIPT_STATIC = $(LD_SCRIPT_DEFAULT) \
                    $(call select_from_repositories,src/platform/context_area.stdlib.ld)
 endif
 
+include $(GEN_CORE_DIR)/version.inc
+
 vpath main.cc                     $(GEN_CORE_DIR)
 vpath ram_session_component.cc    $(GEN_CORE_DIR)
 vpath cpu_session_component.cc    $(GEN_CORE_DIR)
diff --git a/base-nova/src/core/target.inc b/base-nova/src/core/target.inc
index 9d0a1cece..dbab69a0a 100644
--- a/base-nova/src/core/target.inc
+++ b/base-nova/src/core/target.inc
@@ -40,6 +40,8 @@ INC_DIR      = $(REP_DIR)/src/core/include \
                $(BASE_DIR)/src/base/thread \
                $(GEN_CORE_DIR)/include
 
+include $(GEN_CORE_DIR)/version.inc
+
 vpath main.cc                      $(GEN_CORE_DIR)
 vpath ram_session_component.cc     $(GEN_CORE_DIR)
 vpath rom_session_component.cc     $(GEN_CORE_DIR)
diff --git a/base-okl4/src/core/target.inc b/base-okl4/src/core/target.inc
index 1a79e751d..d7fbcf5ed 100644
--- a/base-okl4/src/core/target.inc
+++ b/base-okl4/src/core/target.inc
@@ -39,6 +39,8 @@ INC_DIR += $(REP_DIR)/src/core/include \
            $(BASE_DIR)/src/platform \
            $(REP_DIR)/src/platform
 
+include $(GEN_CORE_DIR)/version.inc
+
 vpath main.cc                     $(GEN_CORE_DIR)
 vpath ram_session_component.cc    $(GEN_CORE_DIR)
 vpath rom_session_component.cc    $(GEN_CORE_DIR)
diff --git a/base-pistachio/src/core/target.inc b/base-pistachio/src/core/target.inc
index 5505bcfe3..e5fa0abd2 100644
--- a/base-pistachio/src/core/target.inc
+++ b/base-pistachio/src/core/target.inc
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@ INC_DIR     += $(REP_DIR)/src/core/include \
                $(BASE_DIR)/src/base/thread \
                $(GEN_CORE_DIR)/include
 
+include $(GEN_CORE_DIR)/version.inc
+
 vpath main.cc                     $(GEN_CORE_DIR)
 vpath ram_session_component.cc    $(GEN_CORE_DIR)
 vpath rom_session_component.cc    $(GEN_CORE_DIR)
diff --git a/base/src/core/main.cc b/base/src/core/main.cc
index d2f6fe9c0..f032ec404 100644
--- a/base/src/core/main.cc
+++ b/base/src/core/main.cc
@@ -181,6 +181,8 @@ int main()
 	 */
 	inhibit_tracing = true;
 
+	PINF("Genode " GENODE_VERSION);
+
 	PDBG("--- create local services ---");
 
 	static Trace::Source_registry trace_sources;
diff --git a/base/src/core/version.inc b/base/src/core/version.inc
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e75f69332
--- /dev/null
+++ b/base/src/core/version.inc
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+#
+# Provide version information to main.cc
+#
+GENODE_ROOT_DIR = $(BASE_DIR)/..
+GENODE_VERSION := $(shell \
+		which git > /dev/null \
+		&& git -C $(GENODE_ROOT_DIR) describe --dirty=" <local changes>" 2> /dev/null \
+		&& exit 0 \
+	|| \
+		test -r $(GENODE_ROOT_DIR)/VERSION \
+		&& cat $(GENODE_ROOT_DIR)/VERSION \
+		&& exit 0 \
+	|| \
+		echo "<unknown version>")
+
+CC_OPT_main += -DGENODE_VERSION="\"$(GENODE_VERSION)\""