diff --git a/app/build.gradle b/app/build.gradle
index 303045455..d668052a5 100644
--- a/app/build.gradle
+++ b/app/build.gradle
@@ -3,6 +3,16 @@ apply plugin: 'witness'
 apply plugin: 'checkstyle'
 apply plugin: 'pmd'
 
+/* gets the version name from the latest Git tag, stripping the leading v off */
+def getVersionName = { ->
+    def stdout = new ByteArrayOutputStream()
+    exec {
+        commandLine 'git', 'describe', '--tags', '--always'
+        standardOutput = stdout
+    }
+    return stdout.toString().trim().substring(1)
+}
+
 repositories {
     jcenter()
 }
@@ -150,6 +160,7 @@ android {
     }
 
     defaultConfig {
+        versionName getVersionName()
         testInstrumentationRunner "android.support.test.runner.AndroidJUnitRunner"
     }
 
diff --git a/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml b/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
index 4551f1095..7978e0807 100644
--- a/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
@@ -2,9 +2,7 @@
 <manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
     package="org.fdroid.fdroid"
     android:installLocation="auto"
-    android:versionCode="100007"
-    android:versionName="0.100-alpha7"
-    >
+    android:versionCode="100007">
 
     <uses-sdk
         android:minSdkVersion="8"