diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 2643a08c..9da45a11 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ Expected: June 2024
 ### API changes on existing protocol/config features
 Users may have to change how they access the system
 
+* Changed intermediate version numbers to be git-style, eg `7.0.0-39` instead of `7.1.0-PRE`
 * If `CLICON_XMLDB_MULTI` is set, datastores are stored in a new directory
    * Previously: `CLICON_XMLDB_DIR/<db>_db`
    * New: `CLICON_XMLDB_DIR/<db>d/`
diff --git a/apps/backend/backend_main.c b/apps/backend/backend_main.c
index 050cb431..27fef31a 100644
--- a/apps/backend/backend_main.c
+++ b/apps/backend/backend_main.c
@@ -569,7 +569,7 @@ main(int    argc,
             help = 1; 
             break;
         case 'V':
-            cligen_output(stdout, "Clixon version: %s\n", CLIXON_VERSION_STRING);
+            cligen_output(stdout, "Clixon version: %s\n", CLIXON_GITHASH);
             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 235fefe6..584b2649 100644
--- a/apps/cli/cli_main.c
+++ b/apps/cli/cli_main.c
@@ -618,7 +618,7 @@ main(int    argc,
             help = 1;
             break;
         case 'V': /* version */
-            cligen_output(stdout, "Clixon version: %s\n", CLIXON_VERSION_STRING);
+            cligen_output(stdout, "Clixon version: %s\n", CLIXON_GITHASH);
             print_version++; /* plugins may also print versions w ca-version callback */
             break;
         case 'D' : { /* debug */
diff --git a/apps/cli/cli_show.c b/apps/cli/cli_show.c
index e22bb939..1460654b 100644
--- a/apps/cli/cli_show.c
+++ b/apps/cli/cli_show.c
@@ -992,7 +992,7 @@ cli_show_version(clixon_handle h,
                  cvec         *cvv,
                  cvec         *argv)
 {
-    cligen_output(stdout, "Clixon: %s\n", CLIXON_VERSION_STRING);
+    cligen_output(stdout, "Clixon: %s\n", CLIXON_GITHASH);
     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 556a272a..b33a27c0 100644
--- a/apps/netconf/netconf_main.c
+++ b/apps/netconf/netconf_main.c
@@ -709,7 +709,7 @@ main(int    argc,
             usage(h, argv[0]);
             break;
         case 'V': /* version */
-            cligen_output(stdout, "Clixon version: %s\n", CLIXON_VERSION_STRING);
+            cligen_output(stdout, "Clixon version: %s\n", CLIXON_GITHASH);
             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 5268b236..878e54e7 100644
--- a/apps/restconf/restconf_main_fcgi.c
+++ b/apps/restconf/restconf_main_fcgi.c
@@ -345,7 +345,7 @@ main(int    argc,
             usage(h, argv[0]);
             break;
         case 'V':
-            cligen_output(stdout, "Clixon version: %s\n", CLIXON_VERSION_STRING);
+            cligen_output(stdout, "Clixon version: %s\n", CLIXON_GITHASH);
             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 3b11113a..9bd4af3d 100644
--- a/apps/restconf/restconf_main_native.c
+++ b/apps/restconf/restconf_main_native.c
@@ -1176,7 +1176,7 @@ main(int    argc,
             usage(h, argv0);
             break;
         case 'V': /* version */
-            cligen_output(stdout, "Clixon version: %s\n", CLIXON_VERSION_STRING);
+            cligen_output(stdout, "Clixon version: %s\n", CLIXON_GITHASH);
             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 93fd6cb6..94a5ce4f 100644
--- a/apps/snmp/snmp_main.c
+++ b/apps/snmp/snmp_main.c
@@ -382,7 +382,7 @@ main(int    argc,
             usage(h, argv[0]);
             break;
         case 'V': /* version */
-            cligen_output(stdout, "Clixon version: %s\n", CLIXON_VERSION_STRING);
+            cligen_output(stdout, "Clixon version: %s\n", CLIXON_GITHASH);
             print_version++; /* plugins may also print versions w ca-version callback */
             break;
         case 'D' : { /* debug */
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index e0d6c478..59b7b31d 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -696,7 +696,6 @@ INSTALL_PROGRAM
 INCLUDES
 CLIXON_VERSION_MINOR
 CLIXON_VERSION_MAJOR
-CLIXON_VERSION_STRING
 CLIXON_VERSION
 target_os
 target_vendor
@@ -2846,9 +2845,6 @@ ac_config_headers="$ac_config_headers include/clixon_config.h lib/clixon/clixon.
 
 
 
-printf "%s\n" "#define CLIXON_VERSION_STRING $CLIXON_VERSION" >>confdefs.h
-
-
 printf "%s\n" "#define CLIXON_VERSION_MAJOR $CLIXON_VERSION_MAJOR" >>confdefs.h
 
 
@@ -4014,8 +4010,7 @@ test -n "$target_alias" &&
   program_prefix=${target_alias}-
 
 # AC_SUBST(var) makes @var@ appear in makefiles.
-# clixon versions spread to Makefile's (.so files) and variable in build.c
-
+# Clixon versions is used in Makefile's (.so files) and variable in build.c
 
 
 
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 0fda29d9..53a4c84b 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -73,7 +73,6 @@ fi
 
 AC_CONFIG_HEADERS([include/clixon_config.h lib/clixon/clixon.h])
 
-AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED(CLIXON_VERSION_STRING, $CLIXON_VERSION, [Clixon version string])
 AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED(CLIXON_VERSION_MAJOR, $CLIXON_VERSION_MAJOR, [Clixon major release])
 AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED(CLIXON_VERSION_MINOR, $CLIXON_VERSION_MINOR, [Clixon minor release])
 AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED(CLIXON_VERSION_PATCH, $CLIXON_VERSION_PATCH, [Clixon path version])
@@ -84,9 +83,8 @@ AC_CHECK_LIB(m, main)
 AC_CANONICAL_TARGET
 
 # AC_SUBST(var) makes @var@ appear in makefiles.
-# clixon versions spread to Makefile's (.so files) and variable in build.c
+# Clixon versions is used in Makefile's (.so files) and variable in build.c
 AC_SUBST(CLIXON_VERSION)
-AC_SUBST(CLIXON_VERSION_STRING)
 AC_SUBST(CLIXON_VERSION_MAJOR)
 AC_SUBST(CLIXON_VERSION_MINOR)
 
diff --git a/example/main/example_cli.c b/example/main/example_cli.c
index 3b5134ac..e20a7b35 100644
--- a/example/main/example_cli.c
+++ b/example/main/example_cli.c
@@ -356,7 +356,7 @@ 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 not regstered plugins exist, clixon prints CLIXON_VERSION_STRING
+ * If no registered plugins exist, clixon prints CLIXON_GITHASH
  * Typically invoked by command-line option -V
  * @param[in]  h   Clixon handle
  * @param[in]  f   Output file
diff --git a/include/clixon_config.h.in b/include/clixon_config.h.in
index bc265017..3fc0b830 100644
--- a/include/clixon_config.h.in
+++ b/include/clixon_config.h.in
@@ -30,9 +30,6 @@
 /* Clixon path version */
 #undef CLIXON_VERSION_PATCH
 
-/* Clixon version string */
-#undef CLIXON_VERSION_STRING
-
 /* Enable YANG patch, RFC 8072 */
 #undef CLIXON_YANG_PATCH
 
diff --git a/lib/clixon/clixon.h.in b/lib/clixon/clixon.h.in
index daf621be..ae522cd1 100644
--- a/lib/clixon/clixon.h.in
+++ b/lib/clixon/clixon.h.in
@@ -60,8 +60,8 @@ 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_STRING
 #undef CLIXON_VERSION_MAJOR
 #undef CLIXON_VERSION_MINOR
 #undef CLIXON_VERSION_PATCH
@@ -122,6 +122,7 @@ 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 88207369..6ee15132 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 not registered plugins exist, clixon prints CLIXON_VERSION_STRING
+ * If no registered plugins exist, clixon prints CLIXON_GITHASH
  * 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 62abf160..a68b1de9 100644
--- a/lib/src/Makefile.in
+++ b/lib/src/Makefile.in
@@ -299,6 +299,7 @@ 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/test/config.sh.in b/test/config.sh.in
index 784ffd1c..77f9c9f2 100755
--- a/test/config.sh.in
+++ b/test/config.sh.in
@@ -64,9 +64,6 @@ CC=@CC@
 # Top src dir
 TOP_SRCDIR=@top_srcdir@
 
-# Clixon version
-CLIXON_VERSION=@CLIXON_VERSION@
-
 CLICON_USER=@CLICON_USER@
 CLICON_GROUP=@CLICON_GROUP@
 
diff --git a/test/lib.sh b/test/lib.sh
index 7e68a5c7..a5d861b3 100755
--- a/test/lib.sh
+++ b/test/lib.sh
@@ -41,6 +41,9 @@ if [ -f ./config.sh ]; then
     fi
 fi
 
+# Note that this relies on git being present in shell
+CLIXON_VERSION="$(git log --pretty="format:%(describe) %ci" -n1)"
+
 # Test number from start
 : ${testnr:=0}