diff --git a/doc/utils/sphinx-config/conf.py.in b/doc/utils/sphinx-config/conf.py.in
index 27194d4454..2256676734 100644
--- a/doc/utils/sphinx-config/conf.py.in
+++ b/doc/utils/sphinx-config/conf.py.in
@@ -90,6 +90,16 @@ def get_lammps_version():
         end_pos = line.find('"', start_pos)
         return line[start_pos:end_pos]
 
+def get_lammps_update():
+    import os
+    script_dir = os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__))
+    with open(os.path.join(LAMMPS_SOURCE_DIR, 'version.h'), 'r') as f:
+        line = f.readline()
+        line = f.readline()
+        start_pos = line.find('"')+1
+        end_pos = line.find('"', start_pos)
+        return line[start_pos:end_pos]
+
 def get_git_info():
     import subprocess,time
 
@@ -290,6 +300,13 @@ rst_prolog = r"""
 
 # -- Options for LaTeX output ---------------------------------------------
 
+latex_engine = 'pdflatex'
+if (get_lammps_update() == 'Development') or (get_lammps_update() == 'Maintenance'):
+    lammpsversion =  format("\\newcommand{\\lammpsversion}{Git: %s}\n" \
+                        % (get_git_info()))
+else:
+    lammpsversion =  format("\\newcommand{\\lammpsversion}{Release %s %s}\n" \
+                        % (get_lammps_version(), get_lammps_update()))
 latex_elements = {
 # The paper size ('letterpaper' or 'a4paper').
 #'papersize': 'letterpaper',
@@ -299,7 +316,6 @@ latex_elements = {
 
 # Additional stuff for the LaTeX preamble.
 'preamble': r'''
-\usepackage{xcolor}
 \setcounter{tocdepth}{2}
 \setcounter{part}{-1}
 \renewcommand{\sfdefault}{ptm}  % Use Times New Roman font for \textrm
@@ -336,41 +352,6 @@ latex_elements = {
 \DeclareMathSymbol{\Psi}{\mathalpha}{extraops}{"09}
 \DeclareMathSymbol{\Omega}{\mathalpha}{extraops}{"0A}
 
-% customized titlepage
-\newcommand{\custommaketitle}{%
-  \hypersetup{pageanchor=false}% avoid duplicate destination warnings
-  \begin{titlepage}%
-    \let\footnotesize\small
-    \let\footnoterule\relax
-    \noindent\rule{\textwidth}{1pt}\par
-      \begingroup % for PDF information dictionary
-       \def\endgraf{ }\def\and{\& }%
-       \pdfstringdefDisableCommands{\def\\{, }}% overwrite hyperref setup
-       \hypersetup{pdfauthor={\@author}, pdftitle={\@title}}%
-      \endgroup
-    \begin{center}%
-      \sphinxlogo
-      \vfill
-      {\Huge LAMMPS Documentation \par}
-      {\LARGE Release 27Jun2024 \par}
-      \vfill\vfill
-      {\LARGE
-        \begin{tabular}[t]{c}
-          The LAMMPS Developers\\
-\\
-          \Large{developers@lammps.org}$^*$\\
-        \end{tabular}\kern-\tabcolsep
-        \par}
-    \end{center}%\par
-    \begin{center}
-\normalsize{${}^*$ see \hyperref[https://www.lammps.org/authors.html]{https://www.lammps.org/authors.html} for details}
-\end{center}
- \end{titlepage}%
-  \setcounter{footnote}{0}%
-  \clearpage
-}
-
-
 \renewcommand{\AA}{\mbox{\textrm{\r{A}}}}
 % Make ToC number fields wider to accommodate sections with >= 100 subsections
 %   or >= 10 subsections with >= 10 subsubsections
@@ -383,8 +364,37 @@ latex_elements = {
 }
 \makeatother
 ''',
-'maketitle': r'''
-\custommaketitle
+'maketitle': lammpsversion + r'''
+% customized titlepage
+{%
+  \hypersetup{pageanchor=false}% avoid duplicate destination warnings
+  \begin{titlepage}%
+    \sffamily\bfseries
+    \begingroup % for PDF information dictionary
+      \def\endgraf{ }\def\and{\& }%
+      \pdfstringdefDisableCommands{\def\\{, }}% overwrite hyperref setup
+      \hypersetup{pdfauthor={The LAMMPS Developers}, pdftitle={LAMMPS Documentation}}%
+    \endgroup
+    \noindent\rule{\textwidth}{4pt}\par
+    \begin{center}%
+      \sphinxlogo
+      \vfill
+      {\Huge LAMMPS Documentation \par}
+      \vfill
+      {\LARGE \lammpsversion \par}
+      \vfill
+      {\LARGE The LAMMPS Developers \par}
+      {\Large developers@lammps.org $^*$ \par}
+      \vfill\vfill\vfill
+      {\normalsize ${}^*$ see
+        \sphinxhref{https://www.lammps.org/authors.html}{https://www.lammps.org/authors.html}
+        for details \par}
+    \end{center}
+    \noindent\rule{\textwidth}{4pt}\par
+  \end{titlepage}%
+  \setcounter{footnote}{0}%
+  \clearpage
+}
 ''',
 }
 
@@ -405,19 +415,13 @@ latex_documents = [
 # the title page.
 latex_logo = "_static/lammps-logo-large.jpg"
 
-# For "manual" documents, if this is true, then toplevel headings are parts,
-# not chapters.
-#latex_use_parts = False
 latex_toplevel_sectioning = 'part'
+
 # If true, show page references after internal links.
 #latex_show_pagerefs = False
 
 # If true, show URL addresses after external links.
 latex_show_urls = 'no'
-# latex_show_urls = 'footnote'
-
-# Documents to append as an appendix to all manuals.
-#latex_appendices = []
 
 # If false, no module index is generated.
 latex_domain_indices = False