diff --git a/ctdb/Makefile b/ctdb/Makefile
index 9ffce81eb32..4d2f059916a 100644
--- a/ctdb/Makefile
+++ b/ctdb/Makefile
@@ -23,6 +23,10 @@ autotest:
 quicktest:
 	$(WAF) test --quick $(TEST_OPTIONS)
 
+show_version:
+	@touch .tmplock
+	@WAFLOCK=.tmplock $(WAF) show_version
+
 dist:
 	touch .tmplock
 	WAFLOCK=.tmplock $(WAF) dist
diff --git a/ctdb/wscript b/ctdb/wscript
index f69bf580f71..afd40d3399e 100755
--- a/ctdb/wscript
+++ b/ctdb/wscript
@@ -523,8 +523,10 @@ def autotest(ctx):
     cmd = 'LD_PRELOAD=bin/shared/libsocket-wrapper.so tests/run_tests.sh -e -S -C'
     samba_utils.RUN_COMMAND(cmd)
 
-def dist():
+def show_version(ctx):
+    print VERSION
 
+def dist():
     samba_dist.DIST_FILES('VERSION:VERSION', extend=True)
 
     t = 'include/ctdb_version.h'