diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index cc1a77db7..cea7c8c75 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -97,6 +97,7 @@ option(CLIENT "Compile client" ON)
 option(DOWNLOAD_GTEST "Download and compile GTest" ${AUTO_DEPENDENCIES_DEFAULT})
 option(STEAM "Build the Steam release version" OFF)
 option(PREFER_BUNDLED_LIBS "Prefer bundled libraries over system libraries" ${AUTO_DEPENDENCIES_DEFAULT})
+option(VERSION "Specify version string" ${PROJECT_VERSION})
 option(DEV "Don't generate stuff necessary for packaging" OFF)
 
 set(OpenGL_GL_PREFERENCE LEGACY)
@@ -2217,11 +2218,7 @@ set(CPACK_SOURCE_GENERATOR ZIP TGZ TBZ2 TXZ)
 set(CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION_MAJOR ${PROJECT_VERSION_MAJOR})
 set(CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION_MINOR ${PROJECT_VERSION_MINOR})
 set(CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION_PATCH ${PROJECT_VERSION_PATCH})
-if(VERSION_PATCH STREQUAL "0")
-  set(CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION ${CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION_MAJOR}.${CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION_MINOR})
-else()
-  set(CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION ${CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION_MAJOR}.${CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION_MINOR}.${CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION_PATCH})
-endif()
+set(CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION ${VERSION})
 set(CPACK_SYSTEM_NAME ${CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME})
 
 if(TARGET_OS AND TARGET_BITS)
@@ -2619,6 +2616,9 @@ foreach(target ${TARGETS_OWN})
   if(INFORM_UPDATE)
     target_compile_definitions(${target} PRIVATE CONF_INFORM_UPDATE)
   endif()
+  if(VERSION)
+    target_compile_definitions(${target} PRIVATE GAME_RELEASE_VERSION="${VERSION}")
+  endif()
 endforeach()
 
 foreach(target ${TARGETS_DEP})