diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 3531299..8faec7f 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 build
 node_modules
 package.json
+lib/version.js
 
 # generated by dist target
 AUTHORS
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index ad9373a..163cc88 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -22,6 +22,13 @@ AC_INIT([ease.js], [0.2.0-dev], [bugs@easejs.org])
 AC_CONFIG_AUX_DIR([tools])
 AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE([foreign])
 
+# provide more granular version numbers based on the above AC_INIT line
+m4_define([ver_split], m4_split(m4_translit(AC_PACKAGE_VERSION, [-], [.]), [\.]))
+AC_SUBST(MAJOR, m4_argn(1, ver_split))
+AC_SUBST(MINOR, m4_argn(2, ver_split))
+AC_SUBST(REV, m4_argn(3, ver_split))
+AC_SUBST(SUFFIX, m4_argn(4, ver_split))
+
 AC_PROG_MKDIR_P
 
 # check for node, which is required for nearly every operation
@@ -98,5 +105,5 @@ AS_IF(test "$JAVA" -a ! "$CCJAR",
 
 AM_CONDITIONAL(HAS_CCJAR, [test "$CCJAR"])
 
-AC_CONFIG_FILES([Makefile doc/Makefile package.json])
+AC_CONFIG_FILES([Makefile doc/Makefile package.json lib/version.js])
 AC_OUTPUT
diff --git a/lib/version.js b/lib/version.js
deleted file mode 100644
index e86cb1a..0000000
--- a/lib/version.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,45 +0,0 @@
-/**
- * Provides version information
- *
- *  Copyright (C) 2011, 2012, 2013 Mike Gerwitz
- *
- *  This file is part of ease.js.
- *
- *  ease.js is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the
- *  terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software
- *  Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or (at your option) any later
- *  version.
- *
- *  This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
- *  ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or
- *  FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License for
- *  more details.
- *
- *  You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with
- *  this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
- *
- * @author  Mike Gerwitz
- */
-
-/*** DO NOT MODIFY; generated by verset ***/
-
-var major  = 0,
-    minor  = 2,
-    rev    = 0,
-    suffix = 'dev',
-
-    version = [ major, minor, rev, suffix ];
-
-version.major  = major;
-version.minor  = minor;
-version.rev    = rev;
-version.suffix = suffix;
-
-version.toString = function()
-{
-    return this.join( '.' )
-        .replace( /\.([^.]+)$/, '-$1' )
-        .replace( /-$/, '' );
-};
-
-module.exports = version;
diff --git a/tools/version.js.tpl b/lib/version.js.in
similarity index 95%
rename from tools/version.js.tpl
rename to lib/version.js.in
index 1a5d3ca..0393701 100644
--- a/tools/version.js.tpl
+++ b/lib/version.js.in
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
  * @author  Mike Gerwitz
  */
 
-/*** DO NOT MODIFY; generated by verset ***/
+/*** DO NOT MODIFY; generated by config.status ***/
 
 var major  = @MAJOR@,
     minor  = @MINOR@,