--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -23,7 +23,11 @@
 GOFLAGS := -i -v
 EXTRA_GOFLAGS ?=
 
-LDFLAGS := -X "main.Version=$(shell git describe --tags --always | sed 's/-/+/' | sed 's/^v//')" -X "main.Tags=$(TAGS)"
+ifeq ($(origin VERSION), undefined)
+       VERSION=$(shell git describe --tags --always | sed 's/-/+/' | sed 's/^v//')
+endif
+
+LDFLAGS += -X "main.Version=$(VERSION)"
 
 PACKAGES ?= $(filter-out code.gitea.io/gitea/integrations,$(shell $(GO) list ./... | grep -v /vendor/))
 SOURCES ?= $(shell find . -name "*.go" -type f)