diff --git a/BUILD.bazel b/BUILD.bazel
index 0178e2c009..2ee0cb57e2 100644
--- a/BUILD.bazel
+++ b/BUILD.bazel
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ cc_library(
         "_FILE_OFFSET_BITS=64",
         "_LARGEFILE64_SOURCE",
         "_LARGEFILE_SOURCE",
+        "BENCHMARK_VERSION=\""+module_version()+"\"",
     ],
     strip_include_prefix = "include",
     visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
diff --git a/src/benchmark.cc b/src/benchmark.cc
index 489c8a0a4f..8ec30c88c0 100644
--- a/src/benchmark.cc
+++ b/src/benchmark.cc
@@ -748,13 +748,7 @@ int InitializeStreams() {
 
 }  // end namespace internal
 
-std::string GetBenchmarkVersiom() {
-#if defined(BENCHMARK_VERSION)
-  return {BENCHMARK_VERSION};
-#else
-  return "hello, bazel!";
-#endif
-}
+std::string GetBenchmarkVersiom() { return {BENCHMARK_VERSION}; }
 
 void PrintDefaultHelp() {
   fprintf(stdout,