diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 77005a37..f44963bf 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-include VERSION.mk
+VERSION = $(shell grep -m1 VERSION $(SRC) | cut -f 2 -d'"')
 
 PREFIX ?= /usr/local
 MANPREFIX ?= $(PREFIX)/share/man
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ CFLAGS += $(CFLAGS_CURSES)
 
 LDLIBS += $(LDLIBS_CURSES)
 
-DISTFILES = src nnn.1 Makefile README.md LICENSE VERSION.mk
+DISTFILES = src nnn.1 Makefile README.md LICENSE
 SRC = src/nnn.c
 HEADERS = src/nnn.h
 BIN = nnn
diff --git a/VERSION.mk b/VERSION.mk
deleted file mode 100644
index b387df43..00000000
--- a/VERSION.mk
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-VERSION = 2.8.1
diff --git a/misc/haiku/Makefile b/misc/haiku/Makefile
index 6fd576d5..dff4a7bb 100644
--- a/misc/haiku/Makefile
+++ b/misc/haiku/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-include VERSION.mk
+VERSION = $(shell grep -m1 VERSION $(SRC) | cut -f 2 -d'"')
 
 PREFIX ?= /boot/system/non-packaged
 MANPREFIX ?= /boot/system/non-packaged/documentation/man
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ CFLAGS += $(CFLAGS_CURSES)
 
 LDLIBS += $(LDLIBS_CURSES) $(LDLIBS_HAIKU)
 
-DISTFILES = src nnn.1 Makefile README.md LICENSE VERSION.mk
+DISTFILES = src nnn.1 Makefile README.md LICENSE
 SRC = src/nnn.c
 HEADERS = src/nnn.h
 BIN = nnn