diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 8f23425a3..def49a797 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -9,3 +9,4 @@ internal/config.txt
 internal/help
 internal/config(2).txt
 internal/config(1).txt
+internal/version.txt
diff --git a/.travis/appveyor.bat b/.travis/appveyor.bat
index 83f908330..3f4cc5c26 100644
--- a/.travis/appveyor.bat
+++ b/.travis/appveyor.bat
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ IF ERRORLEVEL 1 exit /b 1
 cd ..\..
 
 echo Compiling new QB64
-echo AutoBuildMsg$ = CHR$(10) + "From git %APPVEYOR_REPO_COMMIT:~0,7%" >> source\global\version.bas
+echo From git %APPVEYOR_REPO_COMMIT:~0,7% > internal\version.txt
 qb64_bootstrap.exe -x source\qb64.bas -o qb64.exe
 IF ERRORLEVEL 1 exit /b 1
 
diff --git a/.travis/build-osx.sh b/.travis/build-osx.sh
index ae212ff47..e28257d7f 100755
--- a/.travis/build-osx.sh
+++ b/.travis/build-osx.sh
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ cd - > /dev/null
 
 ###### Part 2: Build new QB64 from .bas sources ######
 echo "Translating .bas source..."
-echo AutoBuildMsg\$ = CHR\$\(10\) + \"From git `echo $TRAVIS_COMMIT | sed 's/\(.......\).*$/\1/'`\" >> source/global/version.bas
+echo From git `echo $TRAVIS_COMMIT | sed 's/\(.......\).*$/\1/'` > internal/version.txt
 ./qb64_bootstrap -x -z source/qb64.bas > /tmp/qb64-output
 rm qb64_bootstrap
 if [ `wc -l /tmp/qb64-output |awk '{print $1}'` -gt 2 ]; then
diff --git a/.travis/build.sh b/.travis/build.sh
index 205762c0b..d312a0554 100755
--- a/.travis/build.sh
+++ b/.travis/build.sh
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ cd - > /dev/null
 
 ###### Part 2: Build new QB64 from .bas sources ######
 echo -n "Translating .bas source..."
-echo AutoBuildMsg\$ = CHR\$\(10\) + \"From git `echo $TRAVIS_COMMIT | sed 's/\(.......\).*$/\1/'`\" >> source/global/version.bas
+echo From git `echo $TRAVIS_COMMIT | sed 's/\(.......\).*$/\1/'` > internal/version.txt
 ./qb64_bootstrap -x -z source/qb64.bas > /tmp/qb64-output
 rm qb64_bootstrap
 if [ `wc -l /tmp/qb64-output |awk '{print $1}'` -gt 2 ]; then
diff --git a/source/global/version.bas b/source/global/version.bas
index efecac822..af8cffacb 100644
--- a/source/global/version.bas
+++ b/source/global/version.bas
@@ -1,7 +1,13 @@
 DIM SHARED Version AS STRING
 DIM SHARED BuildNum AS STRING
 DIM SHARED AutoBuildMsg AS STRING
+
 Version$ = "1.2"
-'BuildNum format is YYYYMMDD/id, where id is a ever-increasing
-'integer. If you make a change, update the date and increase the id!
 BuildNum$ = "[dev build]"
+IF _FILEEXISTS("internal/version.txt") THEN
+    versionfile = FREEFILE
+    OPEN "internal/version.txt" FOR INPUT AS #versionfile
+    LINE INPUT #versionfile, AutoBuildMsg
+    CLOSE #versionfile
+END IF
+
diff --git a/source/ide/ide_methods.bas b/source/ide/ide_methods.bas
index 8a79a399e..6fe6ddec5 100644
--- a/source/ide/ide_methods.bas
+++ b/source/ide/ide_methods.bas
@@ -4734,7 +4734,7 @@ FUNCTION ide2 (ignore)
 
             IF menu$(m, s) = "#About..." THEN
                 PCOPY 2, 0
-                idemessagebox "About", "QB64 Version " + Version$ + CHR$(10) + "Revision " + BuildNum$ + AutoBuildMsg$
+                idemessagebox "About", "QB64 Version " + Version$ + CHR$(10) + "Revision " + BuildNum$ + CHR$(10) + AutoBuildMsg$
                 PCOPY 3, 0: SCREEN , , 3, 0: idewait4mous: idewait4alt
                 GOTO ideloop
             END IF