diff --git a/irc/constants.go b/irc/constants.go
index 37b142d1..d15a2c00 100644
--- a/irc/constants.go
+++ b/irc/constants.go
@@ -5,8 +5,14 @@
 
 package irc
 
+import "fmt"
+
 const (
-	SEM_VER       = "oragono-0.1.0-unreleased"
+	SEM_VER       = "0.1.0-unreleased"
 	CRLF          = "\r\n"
 	MAX_REPLY_LEN = 512 - len(CRLF)
 )
+
+var (
+	VER = fmt.Sprintf("oragono-%s", SEM_VER)
+)
diff --git a/irc/server.go b/irc/server.go
index e5e60cff..fccf3c2b 100644
--- a/irc/server.go
+++ b/irc/server.go
@@ -302,10 +302,10 @@ func (s *Server) tryRegister(c *Client) {
 	//NOTE(dan): we specifically use the NICK here instead of the nickmask
 	// see http://modern.ircdocs.horse/#rplwelcome-001 for details on why we avoid using the nickmask
 	c.Send(nil, s.nameString, RPL_WELCOME, c.nickString, fmt.Sprintf("Welcome to the Internet Relay Network %s", c.nickString))
-	c.Send(nil, s.nameString, RPL_YOURHOST, c.nickString, fmt.Sprintf("Your host is %s, running version %s", s.nameString, SEM_VER))
+	c.Send(nil, s.nameString, RPL_YOURHOST, c.nickString, fmt.Sprintf("Your host is %s, running version %s", s.nameString, VER))
 	c.Send(nil, s.nameString, RPL_CREATED, c.nickString, fmt.Sprintf("This server was created %s", s.ctime.Format(time.RFC1123)))
 	//TODO(dan): Look at adding last optional [<channel modes with a parameter>] parameter
-	c.Send(nil, s.nameString, RPL_MYINFO, c.nickString, s.nameString, SEM_VER, supportedUserModesString, supportedChannelModesString)
+	c.Send(nil, s.nameString, RPL_MYINFO, c.nickString, s.nameString, VER, supportedUserModesString, supportedChannelModesString)
 	c.RplISupport()
 	s.MOTD(c)
 	c.Send(nil, c.nickMaskString, RPL_UMODEIS, c.nickString, c.ModeString())
@@ -959,7 +959,7 @@ func versionHandler(server *Server, client *Client, msg ircmsg.IrcMessage) bool
 		return false
 	}
 
-	client.Send(nil, server.nameString, RPL_VERSION, client.nickString, SEM_VER, server.nameString)
+	client.Send(nil, server.nameString, RPL_VERSION, client.nickString, VER, server.nameString)
 	client.RplISupport()
 	return false
 }