--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -68,6 +68,12 @@
 # Work around for not using a svn working copy.
 #add_definitions(-D_NO_AUTOTOOLS_)
 
+set(DEB_VERSION "" CACHE STRING "Debian packages build with this setting")
+
+if (NOT (${DEB_VERSION} STREQUAL ""))
+  add_definitions(-DDEB_VERSION="${DEB_VERSION}")
+  message(STATUS "Debian FreeDV version: ${DEB_VERSION}")
+else()
 #
 # Find the git hash if this is a working copy.
 #
@@ -90,7 +96,7 @@
 else()
         add_definitions(-DGIT_HASH="None")
 endif()
-
+endif()
 
 # Set default build flags.
 set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS "${CMAKE_C_FLAGS} -Wall")
@@ -254,7 +260,7 @@
     message(STATUS "Looking for codec2...")
     # 'CONFIG' removed due to incompatibility with cmake version
     # in Ubuntu 12.04 (Precise) -- Stuart Longland
-    find_package(codec2 QUIET)
+    find_package(codec2)
     if(codec2_FOUND)
         get_target_property(CODEC2_LIBRARY codec2 LOCATION)
         get_target_property(CODEC2_INCLUDE_DIRS codec2 INTERFACE_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES)
--- a/src/fdmdv2_main.cpp
+++ b/src/fdmdv2_main.cpp
@@ -2601,7 +2601,7 @@
 
                 wxT("GNU Public License V2.1\n\n")
                 wxT("Copyright (c) David Witten KD0EAG and David Rowe VK5DGR\n\n")
-                wxT("git revision: %s\n"), FREEDV_VERSION, GIT_HASH);
+                wxT("Debian package version: %s\n"), FREEDV_VERSION, DEB_VERSION);
 
     wxMessageBox(msg, wxT("About"), wxOK | wxICON_INFORMATION, this);
 }
