diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index c69c955e0..1df17d600 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -78,12 +78,14 @@ WEBFILES:= \
 DOCFILES:= \
 	*.md
 
+LASTTAG:=$(shell darcs show tags | head -1)
 PATCHLEVEL:=$(shell expr `darcs changes --count --from-tag=\\\\\.` - 1)
 WARNINGS:=-W -fwarn-tabs -fno-warn-name-shadowing #-fwarn-orphans -fwarn-simple-patterns -fwarn-monomorphism-restriction
-DEFINEFLAGS:=
 PREFERMACUSRLIBFLAGS=-L/usr/lib
 GHCMEMFLAGS= #+RTS -M200m -RTS
-BUILDFLAGS:=-rtsopts -DMAKE $(WARNINGS) $(INCLUDEPATHS) $(PREFERMACUSRLIBFLAGS) -DPATCHLEVEL=$(PATCHLEVEL) $(GHCMEMFLAGS) $(HCFLAGS)
+BUILDFLAGS1:=-rtsopts -DMAKE -DPATCHLEVEL=$(PATCHLEVEL) $(WARNINGS) $(INCLUDEPATHS) $(PREFERMACUSRLIBFLAGS) $(GHCMEMFLAGS) $(HCFLAGS)
+BUILDFLAGS:=$(BUILDFLAGS1) -DVERSION='"$(LASTTAG)"'
+AUTOBUILDFLAGS:=$(BUILDFLAGS1) -DVERSION='\"$(LASTTAG)\"'  # different quoting for sp
 PROFBUILDFLAGS:=-prof -osuf hs_p #-prof-auto
 LINUXRELEASEBUILDFLAGS:=-DMAKE $(WARNINGS) $(INCLUDEPATHS) -O2 -static -optl-static -optl-pthread
 MACRELEASEBUILDFLAGS:=-DMAKE $(WARNINGS) $(INCLUDEPATHS) $(PREFERMACUSRLIBFLAGS) -O2 # -optl-L/usr/lib
@@ -140,22 +142,22 @@ allcabal%:
 # auto-recompile and run (something, eg --help or unit tests) whenever a module changes
 
 auto: sp
-	cd hledger; $(AUTOBUILD) $(MAIN) -o ../bin/hledger $(BUILDFLAGS) --run --version
+	$(AUTOBUILD) $(MAIN) -o bin/hledger $(AUTOBUILDFLAGS) --run --version
 
 autotest: sp
-	cd hledger; $(AUTOBUILD) $(MAIN) -o ../bin/hledger $(BUILDFLAGS) --run test
+	$(AUTOBUILD) $(MAIN) -o bin/hledger $(AUTOBUILDFLAGS) --run test
 
 autotest-%: sp
-	cd hledger; $(AUTOBUILD) $(MAIN) -o ../bin/hledger $(BUILDFLAGS) --run test $*
+	$(AUTOBUILD) $(MAIN) -o bin/hledger $(AUTOBUILDFLAGS) --run test $*
 
 autoweb: sp
-	cd hledger-web; $(AUTOBUILD) hledger-web.hs -o ../bin/hledger-web $(BUILDFLAGS) -DDEVELOPMENT --run -B --port 5001 --base-url http://localhost:5001 -f test.journal
+	cd hledger-web; $(AUTOBUILD) hledger-web.hs -o bin/hledger-web $(AUTOBUILDFLAGS) -DDEVELOPMENT --run -B --port 5001 --base-url http://localhost:5001 -f test.journal
 
 autovty: sp
-	cd hledger-vty; $(AUTOBUILD) hledger-vty.hs -o ../bin/hledger-vty $(BUILDFLAGS) --run --help
+	cd hledger-vty; $(AUTOBUILD) hledger-vty.hs -o bin/hledger-vty $(AUTOBUILDFLAGS) --run --help
 
 autochart: sp
-	cd hledger-chart; $(AUTOBUILD) hledger-chart.hs -o ../bin/hledger-chart $(BUILDFLAGS) --run --help
+	cd hledger-chart; $(AUTOBUILD) hledger-chart.hs -o bin/hledger-chart $(AUTOBUILDFLAGS) --run --help
 
 # check for sp and explain how to get it if not found.
 sp:
@@ -169,11 +171,11 @@ hledgerall: bin/hledger hledger-web hledger-vty hledger-chart
 
 # build hledger binary as quickly as possible
 bin/hledger:
-	cd hledger; ghc --make $(MAIN) -o ../bin/hledger $(BUILDFLAGS)
+	ghc --make $(MAIN) -o bin/hledger $(BUILDFLAGS)
 
 # build a GHC-version-specific hledger binary without disturbing with other GHC version builds
 bin/hledger.ghc-%: $(SOURCEFILES)
-	cd hledger; ghc-$* --make $(MAIN) -o ../$@ $(BUILDFLAGS)  -outputdir .ghc-$*
+	ghc-$* --make $(MAIN) -o $@ $(BUILDFLAGS)  -outputdir .ghc-$*
 
 # build hledger with the main supported GHC versions
 bin/hledger.ghcall: \
@@ -185,30 +187,30 @@ bin/hledger.ghcall: \
 
 # build the fastest binary we can
 bin/hledgeropt:
-	cd hledger; ghc --make $(MAIN) -o ../$@ $(BUILDFLAGS) -O2 # -fvia-C # -fexcess-precision -optc-O3 -optc-ffast-math
+	ghc --make $(MAIN) -o $@ $(BUILDFLAGS) -O2 # -fvia-C # -fexcess-precision -optc-O3 -optc-ffast-math
 
 # build the time profiling binary. cabal install --reinstall -p some libs may be required.
 bin/hledgerp:
-	cd hledger; ghc --make $(MAIN) -o ../$@ $(BUILDFLAGS) $(PROFBUILDFLAGS)
+	ghc --make $(MAIN) -o $@ $(BUILDFLAGS) $(PROFBUILDFLAGS)
 
 # build the heap profiling binary for coverage reports and heap profiles.
 # Keep these .o files separate from the regular ones.
 hledgerhpc:
-	cd hledger; ghc --make $(MAIN) -fhpc -o ../bin/hledgerhpc -outputdir .hledgerhpcobjs $(BUILDFLAGS)
+	ghc --make $(MAIN) -fhpc -o bin/hledgerhpc -outputdir .hledgerhpcobjs $(BUILDFLAGS)
 
 # build other executables quickly
 
 bin/hledger-web:
-	cd hledger-web; ghc --make hledger-web.hs -o ../bin/hledger-web $(BUILDFLAGS)
+	cd hledger-web; ghc --make hledger-web.hs -o bin/hledger-web $(BUILDFLAGS)
 
 bin/hledger-web-production:
-	cd hledger-web; ghc --make hledger-web.hs -o ../$@ $(BUILDFLAGS)
+	cd hledger-web; ghc --make hledger-web.hs -o $@ $(BUILDFLAGS)
 
 bin/hledger-vty:
-	cd hledger-vty; ghc --make hledger-vty.hs -o ../bin/hledger-vty $(BUILDFLAGS)
+	cd hledger-vty; ghc --make hledger-vty.hs -o bin/hledger-vty $(BUILDFLAGS)
 
 bin/hledger-chart:
-	cd hledger-chart; ghc --make hledger-chart.hs -o ../bin/hledger-chart $(BUILDFLAGS)
+	cd hledger-chart; ghc --make hledger-chart.hs -o bin/hledger-chart $(BUILDFLAGS)
 
 # build portable releaseable binaries for gnu/linux
 linuxbinaries: 	linuxbinary-hledger \
@@ -238,7 +240,7 @@ macbinaries:    macbinary-hledger \
 # Clunky, does the link twice.
 macbinary-%:
 	BINARY=`echo $(BINARYFILENAME) | sed -e 's/hledger/$*/'` ; \
-	LINKCMD=`cd $* && ghc -v --make $*.hs $(MACRELEASEBUILDFLAGS) -o ../bin/$$BINARY 2>&1 | egrep "bin/gcc.*bin/$$BINARY"` ; \
+	LINKCMD=`cd $* && ghc -v --make $*.hs $(MACRELEASEBUILDFLAGS) -o bin/$$BINARY 2>&1 | egrep "bin/gcc.*bin/$$BINARY"` ; \
 	PORTABLELINKCMD=`echo $$LINKCMD | sed -e 's/ -framework GMP//'` ; \
 	echo $$PORTABLELINKCMD; $$PORTABLELINKCMD
 
@@ -481,7 +483,7 @@ viewcoverage:
 
 # get a debug prompt
 ghci:
-	cd hledger; ghci $(INCLUDEPATHS) $(MAIN)
+	ghci $(INCLUDEPATHS) $(MAIN)
 
 ghci-vty:
 	ghci $(INCLUDEPATHS) hledger-vty/Hledger/Vty/Main.hs
@@ -600,7 +602,6 @@ HADDOCK=haddock --no-warnings --prologue .haddockprologue #--optghc='-hide-packa
 # we define HADDOCK to disable cabal-file-th code which requires a cabal file in the current dir
 haddock: .haddockprologue
 	$(HADDOCK) --title "hledger-* API docs" \
-	 --optghc '-DHADDOCK' \
 	 -o site/api \
 	 --html \
 	 --source-module=src/%{MODULE/./-}.html \
diff --git a/hledger-web/Hledger/Web/Options.hs b/hledger-web/Hledger/Web/Options.hs
index e6caadcdf..feb03aa68 100644
--- a/hledger-web/Hledger/Web/Options.hs
+++ b/hledger-web/Hledger/Web/Options.hs
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ module Hledger.Web.Options
 where
 import Prelude
 import Data.Maybe
-import Distribution.PackageDescription.TH (packageVariable, package, pkgName, pkgVersion)
 import System.Console.CmdArgs
 import System.Console.CmdArgs.Explicit
 
@@ -15,12 +14,11 @@ import Hledger.Cli hiding (progname,version,prognameandversion)
 import Hledger.Web.Settings
 
 progname, version :: String
-#if HADDOCK
-progname = ""
-version  = ""
+progname = "hledger-web"
+#ifdef VERSION
+version = VERSION
 #else
-progname = $(packageVariable (pkgName . package))
-version  = $(packageVariable (pkgVersion . package))
+version = ""
 #endif
 prognameandversion :: String
 prognameandversion = progname ++ " " ++ version :: String
diff --git a/hledger-web/hledger-web.cabal b/hledger-web/hledger-web.cabal
index dfa141624..106b2092c 100644
--- a/hledger-web/hledger-web.cabal
+++ b/hledger-web/hledger-web.cabal
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 name:           hledger-web
+-- also in cpp-options below
 version: 0.18.2
 category:       Finance
 synopsis:       A web interface for the hledger accounting tool.
@@ -77,7 +78,7 @@ library
                      Hledger.Web.Handlers
 
     ghc-options:   -Wall -O0 -fno-warn-unused-do-bind
-    cpp-options:   -DDEVELOPMENT
+    cpp-options:   -DVERSION="0.18.2" -DDEVELOPMENT
 
     extensions: TemplateHaskell
                 QuasiQuotes
@@ -93,7 +94,7 @@ executable         hledger-web
         Buildable: False
 
     if flag(dev)
-        cpp-options:   -DDEVELOPMENT
+        cpp-options:   -DVERSION="0.18.2" -DDEVELOPMENT
         ghc-options:   -Wall -O0 -fno-warn-unused-do-bind
     else
         ghc-options:   -Wall -O2 -fno-warn-unused-do-bind
@@ -126,7 +127,6 @@ executable         hledger-web
                      hledger == 0.18.2
                    , hledger-lib == 0.18.2
                    , base                          >= 4.3        && < 5
-                   , cabal-file-th
                    , cmdargs >= 0.10 && < 0.11
                    , directory
                    , filepath
diff --git a/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Version.hs b/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Version.hs
index 7bf5f7402..0fa4a6415 100644
--- a/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Version.hs
+++ b/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Version.hs
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ module Hledger.Cli.Version (
   binaryfilename
 )
 where
-import Distribution.PackageDescription.TH (packageVariable, package, pkgName, pkgVersion)
 import System.Info (os, arch)
 import Text.Printf
 
@@ -19,12 +18,11 @@ import Hledger.Utils
 
 -- package name and version from the cabal file
 progname, version, prognameandversion :: String
-#if HADDOCK
-progname = ""
-version  = ""
+progname = "hledger"
+#ifdef VERSION
+version = VERSION
 #else
-progname = $(packageVariable (pkgName . package))
-version  = $(packageVariable (pkgVersion . package))
+version = ""
 #endif
 prognameandversion = progname ++ " " ++ version
 
diff --git a/hledger/hledger.cabal b/hledger/hledger.cabal
index b570c1c79..41d633393 100644
--- a/hledger/hledger.cabal
+++ b/hledger/hledger.cabal
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 name:           hledger
+-- also in cpp-options below
 version: 0.18.2
 category:       Finance
 synopsis:       The main command-line interface for the hledger accounting tool.
@@ -40,8 +41,7 @@ flag threaded
     Default:       True
 
 library
-  -- XXX should set patchlevel here as in Makefile
-  cpp-options:    -DPATCHLEVEL=0
+  cpp-options:    -DVERSION="0.18.2"
   ghc-options:    -W
   -- should be the same as below
   exposed-modules:
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ library
   build-depends:
                   hledger-lib == 0.18.2
                  ,base >= 4.3 && < 5
-                 ,cabal-file-th
+                 -- ,cabal-file-th
                  ,containers
                  ,cmdargs >= 0.10 && < 0.11
                  ,directory
@@ -110,8 +110,7 @@ executable hledger
                   Hledger.Cli.Print
                   Hledger.Cli.Register
                   Hledger.Cli.Stats
-  -- XXX should set patchlevel here as in Makefile
-  cpp-options:    -DPATCHLEVEL=0
+  cpp-options:    -DVERSION="0.18.2"
   ghc-options:    -W
   if flag(threaded)
        ghc-options:   -threaded
@@ -119,7 +118,6 @@ executable hledger
   build-depends:
                   hledger-lib == 0.18.2
                  ,base >= 4.3 && < 5
-                 ,cabal-file-th
                  ,containers
                  ,cmdargs >= 0.10 && < 0.11
                  ,directory