diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 26deafd562..19a441bfb7 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -631,34 +631,6 @@ endif
 
 #####################################################################
 
-version_tag = get_option('version-tag')
-if version_tag != ''
-        vcs_data = configuration_data()
-        vcs_data.set('VCS_TAG', version_tag)
-        version_h = configure_file(configuration : vcs_data,
-                                   input : 'src/version/version.h.in',
-                                   output : 'version.h')
-else
-        vcs_tagger = [
-                project_source_root + '/tools/meson-vcs-tag.sh',
-                project_source_root,
-                meson.project_version()]
-
-        version_h = vcs_tag(
-                input : 'src/version/version.h.in',
-                output : 'version.h',
-                command: vcs_tagger)
-endif
-
-versiondep = declare_dependency(
-        sources: version_h,
-        include_directories : include_directories('.'))
-
-shared_lib_tag = get_option('shared-lib-tag')
-if shared_lib_tag == ''
-        shared_lib_tag = meson.project_version()
-endif
-
 sh = find_program('sh')
 echo = find_program('echo')
 sed = find_program('sed')
@@ -2145,6 +2117,42 @@ xml_helper_py = find_program('tools/xml_helper.py')
 
 ############################################################
 
+version_tag = get_option('version-tag')
+if version_tag == ''
+        # Check that we have either .git/ (a normal clone) or a .git file (a work-tree) and that we don't
+        # get confused if a tarball is extracted in a higher-level git repository.
+        if git.found() and fs.exists(project_source_root / '.git')
+                # Apparently git describe has a bug where it always considers the work-tree dirty when
+                # invoked with --git-dir (even though 'git status' is happy). Work around this issue by
+                # cd-ing to the source directory.
+                version_tag = run_command(
+                        sh, '-c',
+                        'cd "$MESON_SOURCE_ROOT"; git describe --abbrev=7 --dirty=^ 2>/dev/null | sed "s/^v//; s/-rc/~rc/"',
+                        check : true,
+                ).stdout().strip()
+        else
+                version_tag = meson.project_version()
+        endif
+endif
+
+vcs_data = configuration_data()
+vcs_data.set('VCS_TAG', version_tag)
+version_h = configure_file(configuration : vcs_data,
+                           input : 'src/version/version.h.in',
+                           output : 'version.h')
+
+versiondep = declare_dependency(
+        sources : version_h,
+        include_directories : include_directories('.'),
+)
+
+shared_lib_tag = get_option('shared-lib-tag')
+if shared_lib_tag == ''
+        shared_lib_tag = meson.project_version()
+endif
+
+############################################################
+
 if get_option('b_coverage')
         userspace_c_args += ['-include', 'src/basic/coverage.h']
 endif
@@ -2162,6 +2170,7 @@ jinja2_cmdline = [meson_render_jinja2, config_h, version_h]
 userspace = declare_dependency(
         compile_args : userspace_c_args,
         link_args : userspace_c_ld_args,
+        dependencies : versiondep,
 )
 
 man_page_depends = []
@@ -2251,8 +2260,7 @@ install_libsystemd_static = static_library(
                         libxz,
                         libzstd,
                         threads,
-                        userspace,
-                        versiondep],
+                        userspace],
         c_args : libsystemd_c_args + (static_libsystemd_pic ? [] : ['-fno-PIC']))
 
 libudev = shared_library(
@@ -2287,8 +2295,7 @@ install_libudev_static = static_library(
         link_depends : libudev_sym,
         dependencies : [libmount,
                         libshared_deps,
-                        userspace,
-                        versiondep],
+                        userspace],
         c_args : static_libudev_pic ? [] : ['-fno-PIC'],
         pic : static_libudev_pic)
 
@@ -2304,8 +2311,7 @@ if conf.get('HAVE_LIBCRYPTSETUP_PLUGINS') == 1
                                      libshared],
                         dependencies : [libcryptsetup,
                                         tpm2,
-                                        userspace,
-                                        versiondep],
+                                        userspace],
                         link_depends : cryptsetup_token_sym,
                         install_rpath : pkglibdir,
                         install : true,
@@ -2323,8 +2329,7 @@ if conf.get('HAVE_LIBCRYPTSETUP_PLUGINS') == 1
                                      libshared],
                         dependencies : [libcryptsetup,
                                         libfido2,
-                                        userspace,
-                                        versiondep],
+                                        userspace],
                         link_depends : cryptsetup_token_sym,
                         install_rpath : pkglibdir,
                         install : true,
@@ -2342,8 +2347,7 @@ if conf.get('HAVE_LIBCRYPTSETUP_PLUGINS') == 1
                                      libshared],
                         dependencies : [libcryptsetup,
                                         libp11kit,
-                                        userspace,
-                                        versiondep],
+                                        userspace],
                         link_depends : cryptsetup_token_sym,
                         install_rpath : pkglibdir,
                         install : true,
@@ -2484,8 +2488,7 @@ exe = executable(
         link_with : [libcore,
                      libshared],
         dependencies : [libseccomp,
-                        userspace,
-                        versiondep],
+                        userspace],
         install_rpath : pkglibdir,
         install : true,
         install_dir : libexecdir)
@@ -2503,8 +2506,7 @@ exe = executable(
         link_with : [libcore,
                      libshared],
         dependencies : [libseccomp,
-                        userspace,
-                        versiondep],
+                        userspace],
         install_rpath : pkglibdir,
         install : conf.get('ENABLE_ANALYZE') == 1)
 if conf.get('ENABLE_ANALYZE') == 1
@@ -2528,8 +2530,7 @@ executable(
                         libxz,
                         libzstd,
                         threads,
-                        userspace,
-                        versiondep],
+                        userspace],
         install_rpath : pkglibdir,
         install : true,
         install_dir : libexecdir)
@@ -2541,8 +2542,7 @@ public_programs += executable(
         link_with : [libjournal_core,
                      libshared],
         dependencies : [threads,
-                        userspace,
-                        versiondep],
+                        userspace],
         install_rpath : pkglibdir,
         install : true)
 
@@ -2564,8 +2564,7 @@ public_programs += executable(
                         libxz,
                         libzstd,
                         threads,
-                        userspace,
-                        versiondep],
+                        userspace],
         install_rpath : pkglibdir,
         install : true)
 
@@ -2677,8 +2676,7 @@ if conf.get('HAVE_BLKID') == 1
                 'src/dissect/dissect.c',
                 include_directories : includes,
                 link_with : [libshared],
-                dependencies : [userspace,
-                                versiondep],
+                dependencies : [userspace],
                 install_rpath : pkglibdir,
                 install : true)
 
@@ -2712,8 +2710,7 @@ if conf.get('ENABLE_RESOLVE') == 1
                                 libidn,
                                 libm,
                                 threads,
-                                userspace,
-                                versiondep],
+                                userspace],
                 install_rpath : pkglibdir,
                 install : true)
 
@@ -2735,8 +2732,7 @@ if conf.get('ENABLE_LOGIND') == 1
                              libshared],
                 dependencies : [libacl,
                                 threads,
-                                userspace,
-                                versiondep],
+                                userspace],
                 install_rpath : pkglibdir,
                 install : true,
                 install_dir : libexecdir)
@@ -2750,8 +2746,7 @@ if conf.get('ENABLE_LOGIND') == 1
                                 libxz,
                                 libzstd,
                                 threads,
-                                userspace,
-                                versiondep],
+                                userspace],
                 install_rpath : pkglibdir,
                 install : true)
 
@@ -2760,8 +2755,7 @@ if conf.get('ENABLE_LOGIND') == 1
                 'src/login/inhibit.c',
                 include_directories : includes,
                 link_with : [libshared],
-                dependencies : [userspace,
-                                versiondep],
+                dependencies : [userspace],
                 install_rpath : pkglibdir,
                 install : true)
 
@@ -2779,8 +2773,7 @@ if conf.get('ENABLE_LOGIND') == 1
                         dependencies : [libpam_misc,
                                         libpam,
                                         threads,
-                                        userspace,
-                                        versiondep],
+                                        userspace],
                         link_depends : pam_systemd_sym,
                         install : true,
                         install_tag : 'pam',
@@ -2831,8 +2824,7 @@ if conf.get('HAVE_BLKID') == 1 and conf.get('ENABLE_BOOTLOADER') == 1
                 include_directories : includes,
                 link_with : [boot_link_with],
                 dependencies : [libblkid,
-                                userspace,
-                                versiondep],
+                                userspace],
                 install_rpath : pkglibdir,
                 install : true)
         public_programs += exe
@@ -2850,8 +2842,7 @@ if conf.get('HAVE_BLKID') == 1 and conf.get('ENABLE_BOOTLOADER') == 1
                 include_directories : includes,
                 link_with : [boot_link_with],
                 dependencies : [libblkid,
-                                userspace,
-                                versiondep],
+                                userspace],
                 install_rpath : pkglibdir,
                 install : true,
                 install_dir : libexecdir)
@@ -2873,8 +2864,7 @@ if conf.get('HAVE_BLKID') == 1 and conf.get('ENABLE_BOOTLOADER') == 1
                         include_directories : includes,
                         link_with : [libshared],
                         dependencies : [libopenssl,
-                                        userspace,
-                                        versiondep],
+                                        userspace],
                         install_rpath : pkglibdir,
                         install : true,
                         install_dir : libexecdir)
@@ -2886,8 +2876,7 @@ if conf.get('HAVE_BLKID') == 1 and conf.get('ENABLE_BOOTLOADER') == 1
                         dependencies : [libblkid,
                                         libopenssl,
                                         tpm2,
-                                        userspace,
-                                        versiondep],
+                                        userspace],
                         install_rpath : pkglibdir,
                         install : true,
                         install_dir : libexecdir)
@@ -2900,8 +2889,7 @@ executable(
         include_directories : includes,
         link_with : [libshared],
         dependencies : [libblkid,
-                        userspace,
-                        versiondep],
+                        userspace],
         install_rpath : pkglibdir,
         install : true,
         install_dir : libexecdir)
@@ -2912,8 +2900,7 @@ public_programs += executable(
         include_directories : includes,
         link_with : [libshared],
         dependencies : [threads,
-                        userspace,
-                        versiondep],
+                        userspace],
         install_rpath : pkglibdir,
         install : true)
 
@@ -2928,8 +2915,7 @@ systemctl = executable(
                         libxz,
                         libzstd,
                         threads,
-                        userspace,
-                        versiondep],
+                        userspace],
         install_rpath : pkglibdir,
         install : true)
 public_programs += systemctl
@@ -2949,8 +2935,7 @@ if conf.get('ENABLE_PORTABLED') == 1
                 link_with : [portabled_link_with],
                 dependencies : [libselinux,
                                 threads,
-                                userspace,
-                                versiondep],
+                                userspace],
                 install_rpath : pkglibdir,
                 install : true,
                 install_dir : libexecdir)
@@ -2961,8 +2946,7 @@ if conf.get('ENABLE_PORTABLED') == 1
                 include_directories : includes,
                 link_with : [portabled_link_with],
                 dependencies : [threads,
-                                userspace,
-                                versiondep],
+                                userspace],
                 install_rpath : pkglibdir,
                 install : true)
 endif
@@ -2973,8 +2957,7 @@ if conf.get('ENABLE_SYSEXT') == 1
                 systemd_sysext_sources,
                 include_directories : includes,
                 link_with : [libshared],
-                dependencies : [userspace,
-                                versiondep],
+                dependencies : [userspace],
                 install_rpath : pkglibdir,
                 install : true)
 endif
@@ -2986,8 +2969,7 @@ if conf.get('ENABLE_USERDB') == 1
                 include_directories : includes,
                 link_with : [libshared],
                 dependencies : [threads,
-                                userspace,
-                                versiondep],
+                                userspace],
                 install_rpath : pkglibdir,
                 install : true,
                 install_dir : libexecdir)
@@ -2998,8 +2980,7 @@ if conf.get('ENABLE_USERDB') == 1
                 include_directories : includes,
                 link_with : [libshared],
                 dependencies : [threads,
-                                userspace,
-                                versiondep],
+                                userspace],
                 install_rpath : pkglibdir,
                 install : true,
                 install_dir : libexecdir)
@@ -3010,8 +2991,7 @@ if conf.get('ENABLE_USERDB') == 1
                 include_directories : includes,
                 link_with : [libshared],
                 dependencies : [threads,
-                                userspace,
-                                versiondep],
+                                userspace],
                 install_rpath : pkglibdir,
                 install : true)
 endif
@@ -3029,8 +3009,7 @@ if conf.get('ENABLE_HOMED') == 1
                                 libopenssl,
                                 libp11kit,
                                 threads,
-                                userspace,
-                                versiondep],
+                                userspace],
                 install_rpath : pkglibdir,
                 install : true,
                 install_dir : libexecdir)
@@ -3044,8 +3023,7 @@ if conf.get('ENABLE_HOMED') == 1
                                 libm,
                                 libopenssl,
                                 threads,
-                                userspace,
-                                versiondep],
+                                userspace],
                 install_rpath : pkglibdir,
                 install : true,
                 install_dir : libexecdir)
@@ -3060,8 +3038,7 @@ if conf.get('ENABLE_HOMED') == 1
                                 libopenssl,
                                 libp11kit,
                                 threads,
-                                userspace,
-                                versiondep],
+                                userspace],
                 install_rpath : pkglibdir,
                 install : true)
 
@@ -3080,8 +3057,7 @@ if conf.get('ENABLE_HOMED') == 1
                                         libpam_misc,
                                         libpam,
                                         threads,
-                                        userspace,
-                                        versiondep],
+                                        userspace],
                         link_depends : pam_systemd_home_sym,
                         install : true,
                         install_tag : 'pam',
@@ -3151,8 +3127,7 @@ if conf.get('HAVE_LIBCRYPTSETUP') == 1
                 dependencies : [libcryptsetup,
                                 libopenssl,
                                 libp11kit,
-                                userspace,
-                                versiondep],
+                                userspace],
                 install_rpath : pkglibdir,
                 install : true,
                 install_dir : libexecdir)
@@ -3173,8 +3148,7 @@ if conf.get('HAVE_LIBCRYPTSETUP') == 1
                 include_directories : includes,
                 link_with : [libshared],
                 dependencies : [libcryptsetup,
-                                userspace,
-                                versiondep],
+                                userspace],
                 install_rpath : pkglibdir,
                 install : true,
                 install_dir : libexecdir)
@@ -3184,8 +3158,7 @@ if conf.get('HAVE_LIBCRYPTSETUP') == 1
                 'src/veritysetup/veritysetup-generator.c',
                 include_directories : includes,
                 link_with : [libshared],
-                dependencies : [userspace,
-                                versiondep],
+                dependencies : [userspace],
                 install_rpath : pkglibdir,
                 install : true,
                 install_dir : systemgeneratordir)
@@ -3199,8 +3172,7 @@ if conf.get('HAVE_LIBCRYPTSETUP') == 1
                                 libdl,
                                 libopenssl,
                                 libp11kit,
-                                userspace,
-                                versiondep],
+                                userspace],
                 install_rpath : pkglibdir,
                 install : true)
 
@@ -3210,8 +3182,7 @@ if conf.get('HAVE_LIBCRYPTSETUP') == 1
                 include_directories : includes,
                 link_with : [libshared],
                 dependencies : [libcryptsetup,
-                                userspace,
-                                versiondep],
+                                userspace],
                 install_rpath : pkglibdir,
                 install : true,
                 install_dir : libexecdir)
@@ -3294,8 +3265,7 @@ if conf.get('ENABLE_HOSTNAMED') == 1
                 'src/hostname/hostnamectl.c',
                 include_directories : includes,
                 link_with : [libshared],
-                dependencies : [userspace,
-                                versiondep],
+                dependencies : [userspace],
                 install_rpath : pkglibdir,
                 install : true)
 endif
@@ -3307,8 +3277,7 @@ if conf.get('ENABLE_LOCALED') == 1
                 include_directories : includes,
                 link_with : [libshared],
                 dependencies : libxkbcommon_deps +
-                               [userspace,
-                                versiondep],
+                               [userspace],
                 install_rpath : pkglibdir,
                 install : true,
                 install_dir : libexecdir)
@@ -3318,8 +3287,7 @@ if conf.get('ENABLE_LOCALED') == 1
                 localectl_sources,
                 include_directories : includes,
                 link_with : [libshared],
-                dependencies : [userspace,
-                                versiondep],
+                dependencies : [userspace],
                 install_rpath : pkglibdir,
                 install : true)
 endif
@@ -3344,8 +3312,7 @@ if conf.get('ENABLE_TIMEDATECTL') == 1
                 install_rpath : pkglibdir,
                 link_with : [libshared],
                 dependencies : [libm,
-                                userspace,
-                                versiondep],
+                                userspace],
                 install : true)
 endif
 
@@ -3357,8 +3324,7 @@ if conf.get('ENABLE_TIMESYNCD') == 1
                 link_with : [libtimesyncd_core],
                 dependencies : [libm,
                                 threads,
-                                userspace,
-                                versiondep],
+                                userspace],
                 install_rpath : pkglibdir,
                 install : true,
                 install_dir : libexecdir)
@@ -3395,8 +3361,7 @@ if conf.get('ENABLE_MACHINED') == 1
                                 libxz,
                                 libzstd,
                                 threads,
-                                userspace,
-                                versiondep],
+                                userspace],
                 install_rpath : pkglibdir,
                 install : true)
 endif
@@ -3408,8 +3373,7 @@ if conf.get('ENABLE_IMPORTD') == 1
                 include_directories : includes,
                 link_with : [libshared],
                 dependencies : [threads,
-                                userspace,
-                                versiondep],
+                                userspace],
                 install_rpath : pkglibdir,
                 install : true,
                 install_dir : libexecdir)
@@ -3425,8 +3389,7 @@ if conf.get('ENABLE_IMPORTD') == 1
                                 libcurl,
                                 libxz,
                                 libz,
-                                userspace,
-                                versiondep],
+                                userspace],
                 install_rpath : pkglibdir,
                 install : true,
                 install_dir : libexecdir)
@@ -3441,8 +3404,7 @@ if conf.get('ENABLE_IMPORTD') == 1
                                 libcurl,
                                 libxz,
                                 libz,
-                                userspace,
-                                versiondep],
+                                userspace],
                 install_rpath : pkglibdir,
                 install : true,
                 install_dir : libexecdir)
@@ -3453,8 +3415,7 @@ if conf.get('ENABLE_IMPORTD') == 1
                 include_directories : includes,
                 link_with : [libshared,
                              lib_import_common],
-                dependencies : [userspace,
-                                versiondep],
+                dependencies : [userspace],
                 install_rpath : pkglibdir,
                 install : true,
                 install_dir : libexecdir)
@@ -3469,8 +3430,7 @@ if conf.get('ENABLE_IMPORTD') == 1
                                 libcurl,
                                 libxz,
                                 libz,
-                                userspace,
-                                versiondep],
+                                userspace],
                 install_rpath : pkglibdir,
                 install : true,
                 install_dir : libexecdir)
@@ -3490,8 +3450,7 @@ if conf.get('ENABLE_REMOTE') == 1 and conf.get('HAVE_LIBCURL') == 1
                                 libxz,
                                 libzstd,
                                 threads,
-                                userspace,
-                                versiondep],
+                                userspace],
                 install_rpath : pkglibdir,
                 install : true,
                 install_dir : libexecdir)
@@ -3510,8 +3469,7 @@ if conf.get('ENABLE_REMOTE') == 1 and conf.get('HAVE_MICROHTTPD') == 1
                                 libxz,
                                 libzstd,
                                 threads,
-                                userspace,
-                                versiondep],
+                                userspace],
                 install_rpath : pkglibdir,
                 install : true,
                 install_dir : libexecdir)
@@ -3527,8 +3485,7 @@ if conf.get('ENABLE_REMOTE') == 1 and conf.get('HAVE_MICROHTTPD') == 1
                                 libxz,
                                 libzstd,
                                 threads,
-                                userspace,
-                                versiondep],
+                                userspace],
                 install_rpath : pkglibdir,
                 install : true,
                 install_dir : libexecdir)
@@ -3546,8 +3503,7 @@ if conf.get('ENABLE_COREDUMP') == 1
                                 libxz,
                                 libzstd,
                                 threads,
-                                userspace,
-                                versiondep],
+                                userspace],
                 install_rpath : pkglibdir,
                 install : true,
                 install_dir : libexecdir)
@@ -3562,8 +3518,7 @@ if conf.get('ENABLE_COREDUMP') == 1
                                 libxz,
                                 libzstd,
                                 threads,
-                                userspace,
-                                versiondep],
+                                userspace],
                 install_rpath : pkglibdir,
                 install : true)
 endif
@@ -3579,8 +3534,7 @@ if conf.get('ENABLE_PSTORE') == 1
                                 libxz,
                                 libzstd,
                                 threads,
-                                userspace,
-                                versiondep],
+                                userspace],
                 install_rpath : pkglibdir,
                 install : true,
                 install_dir : libexecdir)
@@ -3592,8 +3546,7 @@ if conf.get('ENABLE_OOMD') == 1
                    include_directories : includes,
                    link_with : [libshared],
                    dependencies : [libatomic,
-                                   userspace,
-                                   versiondep],
+                                   userspace],
                    install_rpath : pkglibdir,
                    install : true,
                    install_dir : libexecdir)
@@ -3603,8 +3556,7 @@ if conf.get('ENABLE_OOMD') == 1
                 oomctl_sources,
                 include_directories : includes,
                 link_with : [libshared],
-                dependencies : [userspace,
-                                versiondep],
+                dependencies : [userspace],
                 install_rpath : pkglibdir,
                 install : true)
 endif
@@ -3615,8 +3567,7 @@ if conf.get('ENABLE_BINFMT') == 1
                 'src/binfmt/binfmt.c',
                 include_directories : includes,
                 link_with : [libshared],
-                dependencies : [userspace,
-                                versiondep],
+                dependencies : [userspace],
                 install_rpath : pkglibdir,
                 install : true,
                 install_dir : libexecdir)
@@ -3640,8 +3591,7 @@ if conf.get('ENABLE_SYSUPDATE') == 1
                                 libfdisk,
                                 libopenssl,
                                 threads,
-                                userspace,
-                                versiondep],
+                                userspace],
                 install_rpath : pkglibdir,
                 install : true,
                 install_dir : libexecdir)
@@ -3666,8 +3616,7 @@ if conf.get('ENABLE_RANDOMSEED') == 1
                 'src/random-seed/random-seed.c',
                 include_directories : includes,
                 link_with : [libshared],
-                dependencies : [userspace,
-                                versiondep],
+                dependencies : [userspace],
                 install_rpath : pkglibdir,
                 install : true,
                 install_dir : libexecdir)
@@ -3680,8 +3629,7 @@ if conf.get('ENABLE_FIRSTBOOT') == 1
                 include_directories : includes,
                 link_with : [libshared],
                 dependencies : [libcrypt,
-                                userspace,
-                                versiondep],
+                                userspace],
                 install_rpath : pkglibdir,
                 install : true)
 endif
@@ -3691,8 +3639,7 @@ executable(
         'src/remount-fs/remount-fs.c',
         include_directories : includes,
         link_with : [libshared],
-        dependencies : [userspace,
-                        versiondep],
+        dependencies : [userspace],
         install_rpath : pkglibdir,
         install : true,
         install_dir : libexecdir)
@@ -3702,8 +3649,7 @@ executable(
         'src/machine-id-setup/machine-id-setup-main.c',
         include_directories : includes,
         link_with : [libshared],
-        dependencies : [userspace,
-                        versiondep],
+        dependencies : [userspace],
         install_rpath : pkglibdir,
         install : true)
 
@@ -3712,8 +3658,7 @@ executable(
         'src/fsck/fsck.c',
         include_directories : includes,
         link_with : [libshared],
-        dependencies : [userspace,
-                        versiondep],
+        dependencies : [userspace],
         install_rpath : pkglibdir,
         install : true,
         install_dir : libexecdir)
@@ -3723,8 +3668,7 @@ executable(
         'src/partition/growfs.c',
         include_directories : includes,
         link_with : [libshared],
-        dependencies : [userspace,
-                        versiondep],
+        dependencies : [userspace],
         install_rpath : pkglibdir,
         install : true,
         install_dir : libexecdir)
@@ -3734,8 +3678,7 @@ executable(
         'src/partition/makefs.c',
         include_directories : includes,
         link_with : [libshared],
-        dependencies : [userspace,
-                        versiondep],
+        dependencies : [userspace],
         install_rpath : pkglibdir,
         install : true,
         install_dir : libexecdir)
@@ -3745,8 +3688,7 @@ executable(
         'src/sleep/sleep.c',
         include_directories : includes,
         link_with : [libshared],
-        dependencies : [userspace,
-                        versiondep],
+        dependencies : [userspace],
         install_rpath : pkglibdir,
         install : true,
         install_dir : libexecdir)
@@ -3761,8 +3703,7 @@ public_programs += executable(
         'src/sysctl/sysctl.c',
         include_directories : includes,
         link_with : [libshared],
-        dependencies : [userspace,
-                        versiondep],
+        dependencies : [userspace],
         install_rpath : pkglibdir,
         install : true,
         install_dir : libexecdir)
@@ -3772,8 +3713,7 @@ public_programs += executable(
         'src/ac-power/ac-power.c',
         include_directories : includes,
         link_with : [libshared],
-        dependencies : [userspace,
-                        versiondep],
+        dependencies : [userspace],
         install_rpath : pkglibdir,
         install : true)
 
@@ -3782,8 +3722,7 @@ public_programs += executable(
         'src/detect-virt/detect-virt.c',
         include_directories : includes,
         link_with : [libshared],
-        dependencies : [userspace,
-                        versiondep],
+        dependencies : [userspace],
         install_rpath : pkglibdir,
         install : true)
 
@@ -3792,8 +3731,7 @@ public_programs += executable(
         'src/delta/delta.c',
         include_directories : includes,
         link_with : [libshared],
-        dependencies : [userspace,
-                        versiondep],
+        dependencies : [userspace],
         install_rpath : pkglibdir,
         install : true)
 
@@ -3802,8 +3740,7 @@ public_programs += executable(
         'src/escape/escape.c',
         include_directories : includes,
         link_with : [libshared],
-        dependencies : [userspace,
-                        versiondep],
+        dependencies : [userspace],
         install_rpath : pkglibdir,
         install : true)
 
@@ -3812,8 +3749,7 @@ public_programs += executable(
         'src/notify/notify.c',
         include_directories : includes,
         link_with : [libshared],
-        dependencies : [userspace,
-                        versiondep],
+        dependencies : [userspace],
         install_rpath : pkglibdir,
         install : true)
 
@@ -3824,8 +3760,7 @@ public_programs += executable(
         link_with : [libshared],
         dependencies : [threads,
                         libopenssl,
-                        userspace,
-                        versiondep],
+                        userspace],
         install_rpath : pkglibdir,
         install : true)
 
@@ -3834,7 +3769,7 @@ public_programs += executable(
         'src/battery-check/battery-check.c',
         include_directories : includes,
         link_with : [libshared],
-        dependencies : [userspace, versiondep],
+        dependencies : [userspace],
         install_rpath : pkglibdir,
         install_dir : libexecdir,
         install : true)
@@ -3874,8 +3809,7 @@ systemd_id128 = executable(
         'src/id128/id128.c',
         include_directories : includes,
         link_with : [libshared],
-        dependencies : [userspace,
-                        versiondep],
+        dependencies : [userspace],
         install_rpath : pkglibdir,
         install : true)
 public_programs += systemd_id128
@@ -3893,8 +3827,7 @@ public_programs += executable(
         'src/path/path.c',
         include_directories : includes,
         link_with : [libshared],
-        dependencies : [userspace,
-                        versiondep],
+        dependencies : [userspace],
         install_rpath : pkglibdir,
         install : true)
 
@@ -3903,8 +3836,7 @@ public_programs += executable(
         'src/ask-password/ask-password.c',
         include_directories : includes,
         link_with : [libshared],
-        dependencies : [userspace,
-                        versiondep],
+        dependencies : [userspace],
         install_rpath : pkglibdir,
         install : true)
 
@@ -3923,8 +3855,7 @@ public_programs += executable(
         'src/tty-ask-password-agent/tty-ask-password-agent.c',
         include_directories : includes,
         link_with : [libshared],
-        dependencies : [userspace,
-                        versiondep],
+        dependencies : [userspace],
         install_rpath : pkglibdir,
         install : true)
 
@@ -3933,8 +3864,7 @@ public_programs += executable(
         'src/cgls/cgls.c',
         include_directories : includes,
         link_with : [libshared],
-        dependencies : [userspace,
-                        versiondep],
+        dependencies : [userspace],
         install_rpath : pkglibdir,
         install : true)
 
@@ -3943,8 +3873,7 @@ public_programs += executable(
         'src/cgtop/cgtop.c',
         include_directories : includes,
         link_with : [libshared],
-        dependencies : [userspace,
-                        versiondep],
+        dependencies : [userspace],
         install_rpath : pkglibdir,
         install : true)
 
@@ -3964,8 +3893,7 @@ public_programs += executable(
         include_directories : includes,
         link_with : [libshared],
         dependencies: [libmount,
-                       userspace,
-                       versiondep],
+                       userspace],
         install_rpath : pkglibdir,
         install : true)
 
@@ -3977,8 +3905,7 @@ public_programs += executable(
         'src/run/run.c',
         include_directories : includes,
         link_with : [libshared],
-        dependencies : [userspace,
-                        versiondep],
+        dependencies : [userspace],
         install_rpath : pkglibdir,
         install : true)
 
@@ -3987,8 +3914,7 @@ public_programs += executable(
         'src/stdio-bridge/stdio-bridge.c',
         include_directories : includes,
         link_with : [libshared],
-        dependencies : [userspace,
-                        versiondep],
+        dependencies : [userspace],
         install_rpath : pkglibdir,
         install : true)
 
@@ -3997,8 +3923,7 @@ public_programs += executable(
         busctl_sources,
         include_directories : includes,
         link_with : [libshared],
-        dependencies : [userspace,
-                        versiondep],
+        dependencies : [userspace],
         install_rpath : pkglibdir,
         install : true)
 
@@ -4008,8 +3933,7 @@ if enable_sysusers
                 'src/sysusers/sysusers.c',
                 include_directories : includes,
                 link_with : [libshared],
-                dependencies : [userspace,
-                                versiondep],
+                dependencies : [userspace],
                 install_rpath : pkglibdir,
                 install : true)
         public_programs += exe
@@ -4030,8 +3954,7 @@ if enable_sysusers
                              libbasic,
                              libbasic_gcrypt,
                              libsystemd_static],
-                dependencies : [userspace,
-                                versiondep],
+                dependencies : [userspace],
                 build_by_default: have_standalone_binaries,
                 install : have_standalone_binaries)
         if have_standalone_binaries
@@ -4053,8 +3976,7 @@ if conf.get('ENABLE_TMPFILES') == 1
                 include_directories : includes,
                 link_with : [libshared],
                 dependencies : [libacl,
-                                userspace,
-                                versiondep],
+                                userspace],
                 install_rpath : pkglibdir,
                 install : true)
         public_programs += exe
@@ -4076,8 +3998,7 @@ if conf.get('ENABLE_TMPFILES') == 1
                              libbasic_gcrypt,
                              libsystemd_static],
                 dependencies : [libacl,
-                                userspace,
-                                versiondep],
+                                userspace],
                 build_by_default: have_standalone_binaries,
                 install : have_standalone_binaries)
         if have_standalone_binaries
@@ -4098,8 +4019,7 @@ if conf.get('ENABLE_HWDB') == 1
                 'src/hwdb/hwdb.c',
                 include_directories : includes,
                 link_with : udev_link_with,
-                dependencies : [userspace,
-                                versiondep],
+                dependencies : [userspace],
                 install_rpath : udev_rpath,
                 install : true)
         public_programs += systemd_hwdb
@@ -4131,8 +4051,7 @@ public_programs += executable(
         include_directories : includes,
         link_with : [libshared],
         dependencies : [threads,
-                        userspace,
-                        versiondep],
+                        userspace],
         install_rpath : pkglibdir,
         install : true,
         install_dir : libexecdir)
@@ -4147,8 +4066,7 @@ udevadm = executable(
                         libidn,
                         libkmod,
                         threads,
-                        userspace,
-                        versiondep],
+                        userspace],
         install_rpath : udev_rpath,
         install : true)
 public_programs += udevadm
@@ -4171,8 +4089,7 @@ if conf.get('ENABLE_REPART') == 1
                                 libfdisk,
                                 libopenssl,
                                 threads,
-                                userspace,
-                                versiondep],
+                                userspace],
                 install_rpath : pkglibdir,
                 install : true)
         public_programs += exe
@@ -4191,8 +4108,7 @@ if conf.get('ENABLE_REPART') == 1
                                 libfdisk,
                                 libopenssl,
                                 threads,
-                                userspace,
-                                versiondep],
+                                userspace],
                 build_by_default: have_standalone_binaries,
                 install_rpath : pkglibdir,
                 install : have_standalone_binaries)
@@ -4207,8 +4123,7 @@ executable(
         include_directories : includes,
         link_with : [libshared],
         dependencies : [libmount,
-                        userspace,
-                        versiondep],
+                        userspace],
         install_rpath : pkglibdir,
         install : true,
         install_dir : libexecdir)
@@ -4222,8 +4137,7 @@ executable(
                      libbasic,
                      libsystemd_static],
         dependencies : [libmount,
-                        userspace,
-                        versiondep],
+                        userspace],
         build_by_default: have_standalone_binaries,
         install_rpath : pkglibdir,
         install : have_standalone_binaries,
@@ -4234,8 +4148,7 @@ executable(
         'src/update-done/update-done.c',
         include_directories : includes,
         link_with : [libshared],
-        dependencies : [userspace,
-                        versiondep],
+        dependencies : [userspace],
         install_rpath : pkglibdir,
         install : true,
         install_dir : libexecdir)
@@ -4246,8 +4159,7 @@ executable(
         include_directories : includes,
         link_with : [libshared],
         dependencies : [libaudit,
-                        userspace,
-                        versiondep],
+                        userspace],
         install_rpath : pkglibdir,
         install : (conf.get('ENABLE_UTMP') == 1),
         install_dir : libexecdir)
@@ -4259,8 +4171,7 @@ if conf.get('HAVE_KMOD') == 1
                 include_directories : includes,
                 link_with : [libshared],
                 dependencies : [libkmod,
-                                userspace,
-                                versiondep],
+                                userspace],
                 install_rpath : pkglibdir,
                 install : true,
                 install_dir : libexecdir)
@@ -4281,8 +4192,7 @@ public_programs += executable(
                      libshared],
         dependencies : [libblkid,
                         libseccomp,
-                        userspace,
-                        versiondep],
+                        userspace],
         install_rpath : pkglibdir,
         install : true)
 
@@ -4295,8 +4205,7 @@ if conf.get('ENABLE_NETWORKD') == 1
                              libsystemd_network,
                              networkd_link_with],
                 dependencies : [threads,
-                                userspace,
-                                versiondep],
+                                userspace],
                 install_rpath : pkglibdir,
                 install : true,
                 install_dir : libexecdir)
@@ -4306,8 +4215,7 @@ if conf.get('ENABLE_NETWORKD') == 1
                 systemd_networkd_wait_online_sources,
                 include_directories : includes,
                 link_with : [networkd_link_with],
-                dependencies : [userspace,
-                                versiondep],
+                dependencies : [userspace],
                 install_rpath : pkglibdir,
                 install : true,
                 install_dir : libexecdir)
@@ -4318,8 +4226,7 @@ if conf.get('ENABLE_NETWORKD') == 1
                 include_directories : libsystemd_network_includes,
                 link_with : [libsystemd_network,
                              networkd_link_with],
-                dependencies : [userspace,
-                                versiondep],
+                dependencies : [userspace],
                 install_rpath : pkglibdir,
                 install : true)
 endif
@@ -4329,8 +4236,7 @@ exe = executable(
         network_generator_sources,
         include_directories : includes,
         link_with : [networkd_link_with],
-        dependencies : [userspace,
-                        versiondep],
+        dependencies : [userspace],
         install_rpath : pkglibdir,
         install : true,
         install_dir : libexecdir)
@@ -4348,8 +4254,7 @@ executable(
         'src/sulogin-shell/sulogin-shell.c',
         include_directories : includes,
         link_with : [libshared],
-        dependencies : [userspace,
-                        versiondep],
+        dependencies : [userspace],
         install_rpath : pkglibdir,
         install : true,
         install_dir : libexecdir)
@@ -4359,8 +4264,7 @@ kernel_install = executable(
         'src/kernel-install/kernel-install.c',
         include_directories : includes,
         link_with : [libshared],
-        dependencies : [userspace,
-                        versiondep],
+        dependencies : [userspace],
         install_rpath : pkglibdir,
         install : want_kernel_install)
 public_programs += kernel_install
@@ -4426,11 +4330,12 @@ foreach test : tests
         deps = [
                 base.get('dependencies', []),
                 test.get('dependencies', []),
-                versiondep,
         ]
 
         name = fs.name(sources[0])
-        if not name.endswith('.cc')
+        if name.endswith('.cc')
+                deps += [versiondep]
+        else
                 deps += [userspace]
         endif
         name = fs.stem(name)
@@ -4580,7 +4485,6 @@ foreach fuzzer : fuzzers
                 dependencies : [
                         dependencies,
                         userspace,
-                        versiondep,
                 ],
                 c_args : [test_cflags, fuzzer.get('c_args', [])],
                 link_args: link_args,
diff --git a/src/analyze/analyze.c b/src/analyze/analyze.c
index eb5fceba8d..b7c852a08c 100644
--- a/src/analyze/analyze.c
+++ b/src/analyze/analyze.c
@@ -86,7 +86,6 @@
 #include "unit-name.h"
 #include "verb-log-control.h"
 #include "verbs.h"
-#include "version.h"
 
 DotMode arg_dot = DEP_ALL;
 char **arg_dot_from_patterns = NULL, **arg_dot_to_patterns = NULL;
diff --git a/src/basic/build.h b/src/basic/build.h
index 27d44111d4..5b7c83cad9 100644
--- a/src/basic/build.h
+++ b/src/basic/build.h
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 /* SPDX-License-Identifier: LGPL-2.1-or-later */
 #pragma once
 
-#include "version.h"
-
 extern const char* const systemd_features;
 
 int version(void);
diff --git a/src/basic/meson.build b/src/basic/meson.build
index 3af013b014..f6e6b6ace5 100644
--- a/src/basic/meson.build
+++ b/src/basic/meson.build
@@ -270,8 +270,7 @@ libbasic = static_library(
         dependencies : [libcap,
                         libm,
                         threads,
-                        userspace,
-                        versiondep],
+                        userspace],
         c_args : ['-fvisibility=default'],
         build_by_default : false)
 
diff --git a/src/boot/efi/meson.build b/src/boot/efi/meson.build
index e99bdb8748..3eecaf474b 100644
--- a/src/boot/efi/meson.build
+++ b/src/boot/efi/meson.build
@@ -98,13 +98,9 @@ elif get_option('sbat-distro') != ''
 
         pkgver = get_option('sbat-distro-version')
         if pkgver == ''
-                efi_conf.set('SBAT_DISTRO_VERSION', 'GIT_VERSION')
-                # This is determined during build, not configuration, so we can't display it yet.
-                sbat_distro_version_display = '(git version)'
-        else
-                efi_conf.set_quoted('SBAT_DISTRO_VERSION', pkgver)
-                sbat_distro_version_display = pkgver
+                pkgver = version_tag
         endif
+        efi_conf.set_quoted('SBAT_DISTRO_VERSION', pkgver)
 endif
 
 summary({'UEFI architectures' : efi_arch + (efi_arch_alt == '' ? '' : ', ' + efi_arch_alt)},
@@ -114,7 +110,7 @@ if efi_conf.get('SBAT_DISTRO', '') != ''
         summary({
                 'SBAT distro':              efi_conf.get('SBAT_DISTRO'),
                 'SBAT distro generation':   efi_conf.get('SBAT_DISTRO_GENERATION'),
-                'SBAT distro version':      sbat_distro_version_display,
+                'SBAT distro version':      efi_conf.get('SBAT_DISTRO_VERSION'),
                 'SBAT distro summary':      efi_conf.get('SBAT_DISTRO_SUMMARY'),
                 'SBAT distro URL':          efi_conf.get('SBAT_DISTRO_URL')},
                 section : 'UEFI')
diff --git a/src/core/dbus-manager.c b/src/core/dbus-manager.c
index 1204b913c9..074de33eea 100644
--- a/src/core/dbus-manager.c
+++ b/src/core/dbus-manager.c
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@
 #include "strv.h"
 #include "syslog-util.h"
 #include "user-util.h"
+#include "version.h"
 #include "virt.h"
 #include "watchdog.h"
 
diff --git a/src/core/main.c b/src/core/main.c
index a0e95b4373..822825ca6f 100644
--- a/src/core/main.c
+++ b/src/core/main.c
@@ -99,6 +99,7 @@
 #include "time-util.h"
 #include "umask-util.h"
 #include "user-util.h"
+#include "version.h"
 #include "virt.h"
 #include "watchdog.h"
 
diff --git a/src/core/manager-dump.c b/src/core/manager-dump.c
index e39aff5d89..4575a291e3 100644
--- a/src/core/manager-dump.c
+++ b/src/core/manager-dump.c
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 #include "manager-dump.h"
 #include "memstream-util.h"
 #include "unit-serialize.h"
+#include "version.h"
 
 void manager_dump_jobs(Manager *s, FILE *f, char **patterns, const char *prefix) {
         Job *j;
diff --git a/src/core/meson.build b/src/core/meson.build
index 81dab61f82..c3a45dc3b1 100644
--- a/src/core/meson.build
+++ b/src/core/meson.build
@@ -130,8 +130,7 @@ libcore = shared_library(
                         libseccomp,
                         libselinux,
                         threads,
-                        userspace,
-                        versiondep],
+                        userspace],
         install : true,
         install_dir : pkglibdir)
 
diff --git a/src/fundamental/sbat.h b/src/fundamental/sbat.h
index a18da48038..b3c09dcb4c 100644
--- a/src/fundamental/sbat.h
+++ b/src/fundamental/sbat.h
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
 /* SPDX-License-Identifier: LGPL-2.1-or-later */
 
-#include "version.h"
-
 #ifdef SBAT_DISTRO
 #  define SBAT_SECTION_TEXT \
         "sbat,1,SBAT Version,sbat,1,https://github.com/rhboot/shim/blob/main/SBAT.md\n" \
diff --git a/src/shared/meson.build b/src/shared/meson.build
index 889d9a391f..2930e8c354 100644
--- a/src/shared/meson.build
+++ b/src/shared/meson.build
@@ -311,8 +311,7 @@ libshared_deps = [threads,
                   libselinux,
                   libxenctrl,
                   libxz,
-                  libzstd,
-                  versiondep]
+                  libzstd]
 
 libshared_sym_path = '@0@/libshared.sym'.format(meson.current_source_dir())
 libshared_build_dir = meson.current_build_dir()
diff --git a/src/stdio-bridge/stdio-bridge.c b/src/stdio-bridge/stdio-bridge.c
index 1b2c00734a..12abc18524 100644
--- a/src/stdio-bridge/stdio-bridge.c
+++ b/src/stdio-bridge/stdio-bridge.c
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@
 #include "io-util.h"
 #include "log.h"
 #include "main-func.h"
-#include "version.h"
 
 #define DEFAULT_BUS_PATH "unix:path=/run/dbus/system_bus_socket"
 
diff --git a/src/test/test-cgroup-setup.c b/src/test/test-cgroup-setup.c
index c377ff0a00..e669e9b5ab 100644
--- a/src/test/test-cgroup-setup.c
+++ b/src/test/test-cgroup-setup.c
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@
 #include "proc-cmdline.h"
 #include "string-util.h"
 #include "tests.h"
-#include "version.h"
 
 static void test_is_wanted_print_one(bool header) {
         _cleanup_free_ char *cmdline = NULL;
diff --git a/src/test/test-cgroup-util.c b/src/test/test-cgroup-util.c
index 4f430a1df2..afa6283011 100644
--- a/src/test/test-cgroup-util.c
+++ b/src/test/test-cgroup-util.c
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@
 #include "strv.h"
 #include "tests.h"
 #include "user-util.h"
-#include "version.h"
 
 static void check_p_d_u(const char *path, int code, const char *result) {
         _cleanup_free_ char *unit = NULL;
diff --git a/src/udev/meson.build b/src/udev/meson.build
index dc490a5abf..01ec8b79bc 100644
--- a/src/udev/meson.build
+++ b/src/udev/meson.build
@@ -136,8 +136,7 @@ foreach prog : udev_progs
                 name,
                 prog,
                 include_directories : includes,
-                dependencies : [userspace,
-                                versiondep],
+                dependencies : [userspace],
                 link_with : udev_link_with,
                 install_rpath : udev_rpath,
                 install : true,
diff --git a/tools/meson-vcs-tag.sh b/tools/meson-vcs-tag.sh
deleted file mode 100755
index 3964a8e198..0000000000
--- a/tools/meson-vcs-tag.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,19 +0,0 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env bash
-# SPDX-License-Identifier: LGPL-2.1-or-later
-
-set -eu
-set -o pipefail
-
-dir="${1:?}"
-fallback="${2:?}"
-
-# Apparently git describe has a bug where it always considers the work-tree
-# dirty when invoked with --git-dir (even though 'git status' is happy). Work
-# around this issue by cd-ing to the source directory.
-cd "$dir"
-# Check that we have either .git/ (a normal clone) or a .git file (a work-tree)
-# and that we don't get confused if a tarball is extracted in a higher-level
-# git repository.
-[ -e .git ] && \
-    git describe --abbrev=7 --dirty=^ 2>/dev/null | sed 's/^v//; s/-rc/~rc/' || \
-    echo "$fallback"