--- ./Makefile.orig
+++ ./Makefile
@@ -6,7 +6,11 @@
 STYLESHEETS := $(wildcard public/less/index.less public/less/_*.less)
 JAVASCRIPTS :=
 
-LDFLAGS += -X "main.Version=$(shell git describe --tags --always | sed 's/-/+/' | sed 's/^v//')"
+ifeq ($(origin VERSION), undefined)
+	VERSION=$(shell git describe --tags --always | sed 's/-/+/' | sed 's/^v//')
+endif
+
+LDFLAGS += -X "main.Version=$(VERSION)"
 
 TARGETS ?= linux/*,darwin/*,windows/*
 PACKAGES ?= $(shell go list ./... | grep -v /vendor/)