diff --git a/lib/Makefile b/lib/Makefile
index 17f2041..24cd309 100644
--- a/lib/Makefile
+++ b/lib/Makefile
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-TAG ?= $(shell git describe --always --dirty || echo UNKNOWN)
-
 default: libcrucible.a
 %.a: Makefile
 
@@ -37,12 +35,8 @@ configure.h: configure.h.in
 
 include $(CRUCIBLE_OBJS:%.o=%.dep)
 
-.version.cc: configure.h Makefile ../makeflags $(CRUCIBLE_OBJS:.o=.cc) ../include/crucible/*.h
-	echo "namespace crucible { const char *VERSION = \"$(TAG)\"; }" > $@.new
-	if ! cmp "$@.new" "$@"; then mv -fv $@.new $@; fi
-
 %.o: %.cc ../makeflags
 	$(CXX) $(BEES_CXXFLAGS) -o $@ -c $<
 
-libcrucible.a: $(CRUCIBLE_OBJS) .version.o
+libcrucible.a: $(CRUCIBLE_OBJS)
 	$(AR) rcs $@ $^