diff --git a/build.gradle b/build.gradle
index aa73f9998..75cfe2532 100644
--- a/build.gradle
+++ b/build.gradle
@@ -18,29 +18,11 @@ allprojects {
 }
 
 def getVersionName = { ->
-    try {
-        def stdout = new ByteArrayOutputStream()
-        exec {
-            commandLine 'git', 'describe', '--tags'
-            standardOutput = stdout
-        }
-        return stdout.toString().trim()
-    } catch (ignored) {
-        throw new GradleException('VersionName could not be read:' + ignored.message)
-    }
+    return 'git describe --tags'.execute().text.trim()
 }
 
 def getVersionCode = { ->
-    try {
-        def stdout = new ByteArrayOutputStream()
-        exec {
-            commandLine 'git', 'rev-list', 'HEAD', '--count'
-            standardOutput = stdout
-        }
-        return Integer.valueOf(stdout.toString().trim())
-    } catch (ignored) {
-        throw new GradleException('VersionCode could not be read:' + ignored.message)
-    }
+    return Integer.valueOf('git rev-list HEAD --count'.execute().text.trim())
 }
 
 android {