diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 5a13f89e..9b268598 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ Expected: October 2024
 
 Users may have to change how they access the system
 
+* New version string on the form: `7.1.0-1+11+g2b25294`
 * Restconf: Better RFC compliance with Accept errors: 406 vs 415
 * Removed YANG line-number in error-messages for memory optimization
   * Re-enable by setting `YANG_SPEC_LINENR` compile-time option
diff --git a/apps/backend/backend_main.c b/apps/backend/backend_main.c
index 20cc8537..c83e7b1a 100644
--- a/apps/backend/backend_main.c
+++ b/apps/backend/backend_main.c
@@ -561,7 +561,7 @@ main(int    argc,
             help = 1; 
             break;
         case 'V':
-            cligen_output(stdout, "Clixon version: %s\n", CLIXON_GITHASH);
+            cligen_output(stdout, "Clixon version: %s\n", CLIXON_VERSION);
             print_version++; /* plugins may also print versions w ca-version callback */
             break;
         case 'D' : /* debug */
diff --git a/apps/cli/cli_main.c b/apps/cli/cli_main.c
index e29335a1..623ccd21 100644
--- a/apps/cli/cli_main.c
+++ b/apps/cli/cli_main.c
@@ -616,7 +616,7 @@ main(int    argc,
             help = 1;
             break;
         case 'V': /* version */
-            cligen_output(stdout, "Clixon version: %s\n", CLIXON_GITHASH);
+            cligen_output(stdout, "Clixon version: %s\n", CLIXON_VERSION);
             print_version++; /* plugins may also print versions w ca-version callback */
             break;
         case 'D' :  /* debug, if set here overrides option CLICON_DEBUG */
diff --git a/apps/cli/cli_show.c b/apps/cli/cli_show.c
index 10cb561f..2482f9de 100644
--- a/apps/cli/cli_show.c
+++ b/apps/cli/cli_show.c
@@ -994,7 +994,7 @@ cli_show_version(clixon_handle h,
                  cvec         *cvv,
                  cvec         *argv)
 {
-    cligen_output(stdout, "Clixon: %s\n", CLIXON_GITHASH);
+    cligen_output(stdout, "Clixon: %s\n", CLIXON_VERSION);
     cligen_output(stdout, "CLIgen: %s\n", CLIGEN_VERSION);
     return 0;
 }
diff --git a/apps/netconf/netconf_main.c b/apps/netconf/netconf_main.c
index 3a1b4d12..17d76423 100644
--- a/apps/netconf/netconf_main.c
+++ b/apps/netconf/netconf_main.c
@@ -707,7 +707,7 @@ main(int    argc,
             usage(h, argv[0]);
             break;
         case 'V': /* version */
-            cligen_output(stdout, "Clixon version: %s\n", CLIXON_GITHASH);
+            cligen_output(stdout, "Clixon version: %s\n", CLIXON_VERSION);
             print_version++; /* plugins may also print versions w ca-version callback */
             break;
         case 'D' :  /* debug */
diff --git a/apps/restconf/restconf_main_fcgi.c b/apps/restconf/restconf_main_fcgi.c
index b5498cb1..c7e7056f 100644
--- a/apps/restconf/restconf_main_fcgi.c
+++ b/apps/restconf/restconf_main_fcgi.c
@@ -348,7 +348,7 @@ main(int    argc,
             usage(h, argv[0]);
             break;
         case 'V':
-            cligen_output(stdout, "Clixon version: %s\n", CLIXON_GITHASH);
+            cligen_output(stdout, "Clixon version: %s\n", CLIXON_VERSION);
             print_version++; /* plugins may also print versions w ca-version callback */
             break;
         case 'D' : { /* debug */
diff --git a/apps/restconf/restconf_main_native.c b/apps/restconf/restconf_main_native.c
index 3728e074..c22bb46d 100644
--- a/apps/restconf/restconf_main_native.c
+++ b/apps/restconf/restconf_main_native.c
@@ -1189,7 +1189,7 @@ main(int    argc,
             usage(h, argv0);
             break;
         case 'V': /* version */
-            cligen_output(stdout, "Clixon version: %s\n", CLIXON_GITHASH);
+            cligen_output(stdout, "Clixon version: %s\n", CLIXON_VERSION);
             print_version++; /* plugins may also print versions w ca-version callback */
             break;
         case 'D' :  /* debug. Note this overrides any setting in the config */
diff --git a/apps/snmp/snmp_main.c b/apps/snmp/snmp_main.c
index 27c54ad7..75642759 100644
--- a/apps/snmp/snmp_main.c
+++ b/apps/snmp/snmp_main.c
@@ -381,7 +381,7 @@ main(int    argc,
             usage(h, argv[0]);
             break;
         case 'V': /* version */
-            cligen_output(stdout, "Clixon version: %s\n", CLIXON_GITHASH);
+            cligen_output(stdout, "Clixon version: %s\n", CLIXON_VERSION);
             print_version++; /* plugins may also print versions w ca-version callback */
             break;
         case 'D' : { /* debug */
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index b6e16424..161c0032 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -2813,10 +2813,11 @@ ac_compiler_gnu=$ac_cv_c_compiler_gnu
 
 
 # Use GIT version (what if no git?)
-CLIXON_VERSION="$(git log --pretty="format:%(describe) %ci" -n1)"
-CLIXON_VERSION_MAJOR="7"
-CLIXON_VERSION_MINOR="1"
-CLIXON_VERSION_PATCH="0"
+CLIXON_VERSION="$(./scripts/version.sh)"
+CLIXON_VERSION2=$(echo ${CLIXON_VERSION} | awk -F- '{print $1}')
+CLIXON_VERSION_MAJOR=$(echo ${CLIXON_VERSION2} | awk -F. '{print $1}')
+CLIXON_VERSION_MINOR=$(echo ${CLIXON_VERSION2} | awk -F. '{print $2}')
+CLIXON_VERSION_PATCH=$(echo ${CLIXON_VERSION2} | awk -F. '{print $3}')
 
 # Debug flag
 # Check whether --enable-debug was given.
@@ -5304,11 +5305,11 @@ if test x$ac_prog_cxx_stdcxx = xno
 then :
   { printf "%s\n" "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking for $CXX option to enable C++11 features" >&5
 printf %s "checking for $CXX option to enable C++11 features... " >&6; }
-if test ${ac_cv_prog_cxx_11+y}
+if test ${ac_cv_prog_cxx_cxx11+y}
 then :
   printf %s "(cached) " >&6
 else $as_nop
-  ac_cv_prog_cxx_11=no
+  ac_cv_prog_cxx_cxx11=no
 ac_save_CXX=$CXX
 cat confdefs.h - <<_ACEOF >conftest.$ac_ext
 /* end confdefs.h.  */
@@ -5350,11 +5351,11 @@ if test x$ac_prog_cxx_stdcxx = xno
 then :
   { printf "%s\n" "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking for $CXX option to enable C++98 features" >&5
 printf %s "checking for $CXX option to enable C++98 features... " >&6; }
-if test ${ac_cv_prog_cxx_98+y}
+if test ${ac_cv_prog_cxx_cxx98+y}
 then :
   printf %s "(cached) " >&6
 else $as_nop
-  ac_cv_prog_cxx_98=no
+  ac_cv_prog_cxx_cxx98=no
 ac_save_CXX=$CXX
 cat confdefs.h - <<_ACEOF >conftest.$ac_ext
 /* end confdefs.h.  */
@@ -6549,7 +6550,7 @@ printf "%s\n" "Generated YANGs from MIB files are expected to be in ${MIB_GENERA
 fi
 
 # Set default config file location
-CLIXON_DEFAULT_CONFIG=/usr/local/etc/clixon.xml
+CLIXON_DEFAULT_CONFIG=${SYSCONFDIR}/clixon.xml
 
 # Check whether --with-configfile was given.
 if test ${with_configfile+y}
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 74fd7ceb..5a2e4239 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -49,10 +49,11 @@ AC_CONFIG_SRCDIR([lib/clixon/clixon.h.in])
 AC_CONFIG_AUX_DIR(config-aux)
 
 # Use GIT version (what if no git?)
-CLIXON_VERSION="$(git log --pretty="format:%(describe) %ci" -n1)"
-CLIXON_VERSION_MAJOR="7"
-CLIXON_VERSION_MINOR="1"
-CLIXON_VERSION_PATCH="0"
+CLIXON_VERSION="$(./scripts/version.sh)"
+CLIXON_VERSION2=$(echo ${CLIXON_VERSION} | awk -F- '{print $1}')
+CLIXON_VERSION_MAJOR=$(echo ${CLIXON_VERSION2} | awk -F. '{print $1}')
+CLIXON_VERSION_MINOR=$(echo ${CLIXON_VERSION2} | awk -F. '{print $2}')
+CLIXON_VERSION_PATCH=$(echo ${CLIXON_VERSION2} | awk -F. '{print $3}')
 
 # Debug flag
 AC_ARG_ENABLE(debug, AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-debug],[Build with debug symbols, default: no]),[
diff --git a/example/main/example_cli.c b/example/main/example_cli.c
index 2c9cb61a..c79f978b 100644
--- a/example/main/example_cli.c
+++ b/example/main/example_cli.c
@@ -358,7 +358,7 @@ example_cli_errmsg(clixon_handle        h,
  *
  * A plugin can customize a version (or banner) output on stdout.
  * Several version strings can be printed if there are multiple callbacks.
- * If no registered plugins exist, clixon prints CLIXON_GITHASH
+ * If no registered plugins exist, clixon prints CLIXON_VERSION
  * Typically invoked by command-line option -V
  * @param[in]  h   Clixon handle
  * @param[in]  f   Output file
diff --git a/lib/clixon/clixon.h.in b/lib/clixon/clixon.h.in
index c0a5e312..329a58cf 100644
--- a/lib/clixon/clixon.h.in
+++ b/lib/clixon/clixon.h.in
@@ -60,7 +60,6 @@ extern "C" {
 /*
  * CLIXON version macros, set in configure and resolved when expanding to 
  * clixon.h
- * XXX: use github versioning: CLIXON_GITHASH[] instead
  */
 #undef CLIXON_VERSION_MAJOR
 #undef CLIXON_VERSION_MINOR
@@ -123,7 +122,6 @@ extern "C" {
  * Global variables generated by Makefile
  */
 extern const char CLIXON_BUILDSTR[];
-extern const char CLIXON_GITHASH[];
 extern const char CLIXON_VERSION[];
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
diff --git a/lib/clixon/clixon_plugin.h b/lib/clixon/clixon_plugin.h
index b61ff243..d8480591 100644
--- a/lib/clixon/clixon_plugin.h
+++ b/lib/clixon/clixon_plugin.h
@@ -340,7 +340,7 @@ typedef int (errmsg_t)(clixon_handle h, const char *fn, const int line,
  *
  * A plugin can customize a version (or banner) output on stdout.
  * Several version strings can be printed if there are multiple callbacks.
- * If no registered plugins exist, clixon prints CLIXON_GITHASH
+ * If no registered plugins exist, clixon prints CLIXON_VERSION
  * Typically invoked by command-line option -V
  * @param[in]  h   Clixon handle
  * @param[in]  f   Output file
diff --git a/lib/src/Makefile.in b/lib/src/Makefile.in
index 1fb8fb35..bba0c48d 100644
--- a/lib/src/Makefile.in
+++ b/lib/src/Makefile.in
@@ -299,7 +299,6 @@ DATELEN = $(shell date +"%Y.%m.%d %H:%M by `whoami` on `hostname`XXXX"|wc -c)
 build.c:	
 	echo "/* This file is generated from the Clixon Makefile */" > $@;
 	date +"const char CLIXON_BUILDSTR[$(DATELEN)]=\"%Y.%m.%d %H:%M by `whoami` on `hostname`"\"\; >> $@;
-	echo "const char CLIXON_GITHASH[64]=\"$(shell git log --pretty="format:%(describe) %ci" -n1)\""\; >> $@;
 	echo "const char CLIXON_VERSION[64]=\"$(CLIXON_VERSION)\""\; >> $@;
 
 # Note: will always be remade since GENOBS is date dependent
diff --git a/scripts/version.sh b/scripts/version.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..b557703e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/version.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# Version script
+# Usage:
+# ./version.sh
+# with optional fields:
+# PREFIX= INDEX=1 ARCH= SUFFIX=
+# Example:
+# PREFIX=cligen INDEX=1 ARCH=amd64 SUFFIX=deb ./version.sh
+set -eu
+: ${PREFIX:=}
+: ${INDEX=1}
+: ${ARCH=}
+: ${SUFFIX=}
+# Get version string from default git describe: <tag>-<nr>-g<hash>
+if [ -f .version ]; then
+    v1=$(cat .version)
+else
+    v1=$(git describe)
+fi
+if [ -z $v1 ]; then
+    echo "No base version"
+    exit 1
+fi
+TAG=$(echo $v1 | awk -F- '{print $1}')
+NR=$(echo $v1 | awk -F- '{print $2}')
+HASH=$(echo $v1 | awk -F- '{print $3}')
+V=""
+if [ -n "$PREFIX" ]; then
+    V="${V}${PREFIX}_"
+fi
+V="${V}${TAG}"
+V="${V}-${INDEX}"
+V="${V}+${NR}"
+V="${V}+${HASH}"
+if [ -n "$ARCH" ]; then
+    V="${V}_${ARCH}"
+fi
+if [ -n "$SUFFIX" ]; then
+    V="${V}.${SUFFIX}"
+fi
+echo "${V}"