diff --git a/data/core/emptyview.lua b/data/core/emptyview.lua
index 9d375c20..36ba8fb7 100644
--- a/data/core/emptyview.lua
+++ b/data/core/emptyview.lua
@@ -8,8 +8,18 @@ local function draw_text(x, y, color)
   local th = style.big_font:get_height()
   local dh = 2 * th + style.padding.y * 2
   local x1, y1 = x, y + (dh - th) / 2
-  x = renderer.draw_text(style.big_font, "Lite XL", x1, y1, color)
-  renderer.draw_text(style.font, "version " .. VERSION, x1, y1 + th, color)
+  local xv = x1
+  local title = "Lite XL"
+  local version = "version " .. VERSION
+  local title_width = style.big_font:get_width(title)
+  local version_width = style.font:get_width(version)
+  if version_width > title_width then
+    version = VERSION
+    version_width = style.font:get_width(version)
+    xv = x1 - (version_width - title_width)
+  end
+  x = renderer.draw_text(style.big_font, title, x1, y1, color)
+  renderer.draw_text(style.font, version, xv, y1 + th, color)
   x = x + style.padding.x
   renderer.draw_rect(x, y, math.ceil(1 * SCALE), dh, color)
   local lines = {
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index aec0cdb1..3821e24c 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -9,13 +9,32 @@ project('lite-xl',
     ]
 )
 
+#===============================================================================
+# Project version including git commit if possible
+#===============================================================================
+version = meson.project_version()
+
+if get_option('buildtype') != 'release'
+    git_command = find_program('git', required : false)
+
+    if git_command.found()
+        git_commit = run_command(
+            [git_command, 'rev-parse', 'HEAD']
+        ).stdout().strip()
+
+        if git_commit != ''
+            version += ' (git-' + git_commit.substring(0, 8) + ')'
+        endif
+    endif
+endif
+
 #===============================================================================
 # Configuration
 #===============================================================================
 conf_data = configuration_data()
 conf_data.set('PROJECT_BUILD_DIR', meson.current_build_dir())
 conf_data.set('PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR', meson.current_source_dir())
-conf_data.set('PROJECT_VERSION', meson.project_version())
+conf_data.set('PROJECT_VERSION', version)
 
 #===============================================================================
 # Compiler Settings