diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 10c1b448..371caa0c 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
 # NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS
 # SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 
-VERSION=$(shell git describe)
+VERSION=$(shell git describe 2>/dev/null || cat VERSION)
 WADS=wads
 CPP=scripts/simplecpp
 DEUTEX=deutex
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ all: $(OBJS)
 
 subdirs:
 	$(MAKE) -C graphics/text
-	$(MAKE) -C graphics/titlepic
+	$(MAKE) VERSION=$(VERSION) -C graphics/titlepic
 	$(MAKE) -C lumps/cph/misc-lumps
 	$(MAKE) -C lumps/genmidi
 	$(MAKE) -C lumps/dmxgus
diff --git a/graphics/titlepic/create_caption b/graphics/titlepic/create_caption
index 66a9de9c..10b976a0 100755
--- a/graphics/titlepic/create_caption
+++ b/graphics/titlepic/create_caption
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 
-VERSION=`git describe` || VERSION=`cat ../../VERSION`
-
 convert titlepic.gif -fill white -font Helvetica-Bold                  \
   -draw "image over 94,2 0,0 '$1'"                                     \
   -pointsize 20                                                        \