diff --git a/build.go b/build.go
index b6cfbcd55..f92bc3301 100644
--- a/build.go
+++ b/build.go
@@ -200,22 +200,41 @@ func test(gopath string, args ...string) error {
 	return cmd.Run()
 }
 
-// getVersion returns a version string, either from the file VERSION in the
-// current directory or from git.
-func getVersion() string {
-	v, err := ioutil.ReadFile("VERSION")
-	version := strings.TrimSpace(string(v))
-	if err == nil {
-		verbosePrintf("version from file 'VERSION' is %s\n", version)
-		return version
+// getVersion returns the version string from the file VERSION in the current
+// directory.
+func getVersionFromFile() string {
+	buf, err := ioutil.ReadFile("VERSION")
+	if err != nil {
+		verbosePrintf("error reading file VERSION: %v\n", err)
+		return ""
 	}
 
-	return gitVersion()
+	return strings.TrimSpace(string(buf))
 }
 
-// gitVersion returns a version string that identifies the currently checked
-// out git commit.
-func gitVersion() string {
+// getVersion returns a version string which is a combination of the contents
+// of the file VERSION in the current directory and the version from git (if
+// available).
+func getVersion() string {
+	versionFile := getVersionFromFile()
+	versionGit := getVersionFromGit()
+
+	verbosePrintf("version from file 'VERSION' is %q, version from git %q\n",
+		versionFile, versionGit)
+
+	switch {
+	case versionFile == "":
+		return versionGit
+	case versionGit == "":
+		return versionFile
+	}
+
+	return fmt.Sprintf("%s (%s)", versionFile, versionGit)
+}
+
+// getVersionFromGit returns a version string that identifies the currently
+// checked out git commit.
+func getVersionFromGit() string {
 	cmd := exec.Command("git", "describe",
 		"--long", "--tags", "--dirty", "--always")
 	out, err := cmd.Output()