diff --git a/Makefile.include b/Makefile.include
index e1f850296074dd33493f0eb7a260b0f988c3c8b6..137ad480bc897b827f81e58d3bc97dc55be6e634 100644
--- a/Makefile.include
+++ b/Makefile.include
@@ -292,6 +292,9 @@ endif
 # Feature test default CFLAGS and LINKFLAGS for the set compiled.
 include $(RIOTMAKE)/cflags.inc.mk
 
+# Include VERSION for releases
+-include $(RIOTBASE)/VERSION
+
 # make the RIOT version available to the program
 ifeq ($(origin RIOT_VERSION), undefined)
   GIT_STRING := $(shell git --git-dir="$(RIOTBASE)/.git" describe --always --abbrev=4 --dirty=-`hostname` 2> /dev/null)