diff --git a/src/universe.cpp b/src/universe.cpp
index 007c10e11c..ba5718217d 100644
--- a/src/universe.cpp
+++ b/src/universe.cpp
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 #include "string.h"
 #include "stdio.h"
 #include "universe.h"
+#include "version.h"
 #include "memory.h"
 
 using namespace LAMMPS_NS;
@@ -26,7 +27,7 @@ using namespace LAMMPS_NS;
 
 Universe::Universe(LAMMPS *lmp, MPI_Comm communicator) : Pointers(lmp)
 {
-  version = (char *) "15 Jan 2010";
+  version = (char *) LAMMPS_VERSION;
 
   uworld = communicator;
   MPI_Comm_rank(uworld,&me);
diff --git a/src/version.h b/src/version.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f8578b2515
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/version.h
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+#define LAMMPS_VERSION "25 Apr 2010"