diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 12db605..0b641ec 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -2,13 +2,6 @@
 .SUFFIXES:
 .SUFFIXES: .1.scd .1
 
-_git_version=$(shell git describe --tags --dirty 2>/dev/null)
-ifeq ($(strip $(_git_version)),)
-VERSION=0.3.1
-else
-VERSION=$(_git_version)
-endif
-
 PREFIX?=/usr/local
 BINDIR?=$(PREFIX)/bin
 MANDIR?=$(PREFIX)/share/man
@@ -23,9 +16,7 @@ docs: docs/kiln.1
 	scdoc < $< > $@
 
 kiln: *.go go.mod go.sum config.toml templates/_default/*
-	$(GO) build $(GOFLAGS) \
-		-ldflags "-X main.Version=$(VERSION)" \
-		-o $@
+	$(GO) build $(GOFLAGS) -o $@
 
 clean:
 	$(RM) kiln
diff --git a/docs/kiln.1.scd b/docs/kiln.1.scd
index fd03927..4069d89 100644
--- a/docs/kiln.1.scd
+++ b/docs/kiln.1.scd
@@ -10,16 +10,12 @@ kiln - a simple static site generator
 
 *kiln* new _path_
 
-*kiln* version
-
 # DESCRIPTION
 
 *kiln build* builds a kiln site.
 
 *kiln new* creates a new kiln site at the given path.
 
-*kiln version* prints version information for the kiln program.
-
 # OPTIONS
 
 ## kiln build
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 108a38e..d0e23df 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -12,10 +12,6 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 )
 
-var (
-	Version string
-)
-
 func main() {
 	if len(os.Args) >= 2 {
 		switch os.Args[1] {
@@ -29,13 +25,10 @@ func main() {
 			}
 			newSite(os.Args[2])
 			return
-		case "version":
-			fmt.Println("kiln", Version)
-			return
 		}
 	}
 
-	fmt.Println("usage: kiln <build | new | version> args...")
+	fmt.Println("usage: kiln <build | new> args...")
 	os.Exit(1)
 }