diff --git a/chtf/VERSION b/chtf/VERSION
deleted file mode 100644
index 1e4ec5e..0000000
--- a/chtf/VERSION
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-2.0.1-dev
diff --git a/chtf/chtf.fish b/chtf/chtf.fish
index 2e4dd7e..8f22d18 100644
--- a/chtf/chtf.fish
+++ b/chtf/chtf.fish
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@
 # TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE
 # SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
 
+set -g CHTF_VERSION 2.0.1-dev
+
 # Set defaults
 
 set -q CHTF_AUTO_INSTALL; or set -g CHTF_AUTO_INSTALL ask
@@ -150,6 +152,3 @@ end
 function _chtf_root_dir
     dirname (status --current-filename)
 end
-
-# Load and store the version number
-set -g CHTF_VERSION (cat (_chtf_root_dir)/VERSION)
diff --git a/chtf/chtf.sh b/chtf/chtf.sh
index 57f6c48..a8c5430 100644
--- a/chtf/chtf.sh
+++ b/chtf/chtf.sh
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@
 # TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE
 # SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
 
+CHTF_VERSION='2.0.1-dev'
+
 # Set defaults
 
 : "${CHTF_AUTO_INSTALL:=ask}"
@@ -47,7 +49,7 @@ chtf() {
             echo "usage: chtf [<version> | system]"
             ;;
         -V|--version)
-            echo "chtf: ${CHTF_VERSION:-[unknown version]}"
+            echo "chtf: $CHTF_VERSION"
             ;;
         "")
             _chtf_list
@@ -181,6 +183,3 @@ _chtf_root_dir() {
         echo 'chtf: [WARN] Unknown shell' >&2
     fi
 }
-
-# Load and store the version number
-CHTF_VERSION=$(cat "$(_chtf_root_dir)/VERSION")