diff --git a/packer.go b/packer.go
index 4fc3cf138..d5fbe7439 100644
--- a/packer.go
+++ b/packer.go
@@ -27,7 +27,9 @@ func main() {
 		runtime.GOMAXPROCS(runtime.NumCPU())
 	}
 
-	log.Printf("Packer Version: %s %s", packer.Version, packer.VersionPrerelease)
+	log.Printf(
+		"Packer Version: %s %s %s",
+		packer.Version, packer.VersionPrerelease, packer.GitCommit)
 	log.Printf("Packer Target OS/Arch: %s %s", runtime.GOOS, runtime.GOARCH)
 
 	config, err := loadConfig()
diff --git a/packer/version.go b/packer/version.go
index 54b98da0b..e351a9fa1 100644
--- a/packer/version.go
+++ b/packer/version.go
@@ -5,6 +5,10 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 )
 
+// The git commit that is being compiled. This will be filled in by the
+// compiler for source builds.
+var GitCommit string
+
 // The version of packer.
 const Version = "0.1.6"
 
@@ -29,6 +33,10 @@ func (versionCommand) Run(env Environment, args []string) int {
 		fmt.Fprintf(&versionString, ".%s", VersionPrerelease)
 	}
 
+	if GitCommit != "" {
+		fmt.Fprintf(&versionString, " (%s)", GitCommit)
+	}
+
 	env.Ui().Say(versionString.String())
 	return 0
 }
diff --git a/scripts/build.sh b/scripts/build.sh
index 148082a9c..439231c1f 100755
--- a/scripts/build.sh
+++ b/scripts/build.sh
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/bash
+#
+# This script only builds the application from source.
 set -e
 
 NO_COLOR="\x1b[0m"
@@ -14,13 +16,23 @@ DIR="$( cd -P "$( dirname "$SOURCE" )/.." && pwd )"
 # Change into that directory
 cd $DIR
 
+# Get the git commit
+GIT_COMMIT=$(git rev-parse --short HEAD)
+GIT_DIRTY=$(test -n "`git status --porcelain`" && echo "+CHANGES")
+
 # Compile the main Packer app
 echo -e "${OK_COLOR}--> Compiling Packer${NO_COLOR}"
-go build -v -o bin/packer .
+go build \
+    -ldflags "-X github.com/mitchellh/packer/packer.GitCommit ${GIT_COMMIT}${GIT_DIRTY}" \
+    -v \
+    -o bin/packer .
 
 # Go over each plugin and build it
 for PLUGIN in $(find ./plugin -mindepth 1 -maxdepth 1 -type d); do
     PLUGIN_NAME=$(basename ${PLUGIN})
     echo -e "${OK_COLOR}--> Compiling Plugin: ${PLUGIN_NAME}${NO_COLOR}"
-    go build -v -o bin/packer-${PLUGIN_NAME} ${PLUGIN}
+    go build \
+        -ldflags "-X github.com/mitchellh/packer/packer.GitCommit ${GIT_COMMIT}${GIT_DIRTY}" \
+        -v \
+        -o bin/packer-${PLUGIN_NAME} ${PLUGIN}
 done