diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index cb3377320..d39e4847f 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,3 +1,10 @@
+ifndef GIT_VERSION
+GIT_VERSION := $(shell git describe --long)
+ifndef GIT_VERSION
+$(error GIT_VERSION is not set)
+endif
+endif
+
 O0=-O0
 O2=-O2
 O1=-O1
diff --git a/lib/Makefile b/lib/Makefile
index f0236e719..4247855c9 100644
--- a/lib/Makefile
+++ b/lib/Makefile
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
-
-
+ifndef GIT_VERSION
 GIT_VERSION := $(shell git describe --long)
+ifndef GIT_VERSION
+$(error GIT_VERSION is not set)
+endif
+endif
 
 DEPS_PATH=../deps
 
diff --git a/src/Makefile b/src/Makefile
index 75b51a576..b6bfbcce6 100644
--- a/src/Makefile
+++ b/src/Makefile
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
-
-
+ifndef GIT_VERSION
 GIT_VERSION := $(shell git describe --long)
+ifndef GIT_VERSION
+$(error GIT_VERSION is not set)
+endif
+endif
 
 DEPS_PATH=../deps