diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yml b/.github/workflows/build.yml
index f75b11700c..3d3df94264 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yml
@@ -31,8 +31,6 @@ jobs:
       run: |
         python devscripts/update-version.py
         make issuetemplates
-    - name: Print version
-      run: echo "${{ steps.bump_version.outputs.ytdlp_version }}"
     - name: Update master
       id: push_update
       run: |
diff --git a/devscripts/update-version.py b/devscripts/update-version.py
index 2d1673d0e2..770926f0c2 100644
--- a/devscripts/update-version.py
+++ b/devscripts/update-version.py
@@ -1,16 +1,13 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python3
-from __future__ import unicode_literals
-
 from datetime import datetime
-# import urllib.request
+import subprocess
 
-# response = urllib.request.urlopen('https://blackjack4494.github.io/youtube-dlc/update/LATEST_VERSION')
-# old_version = response.read().decode('utf-8')
 
-exec(compile(open('yt_dlp/version.py').read(), 'yt_dlp/version.py', 'exec'))
+with open('yt_dlp/version.py', 'rt') as f:
+    exec(compile(f.read(), 'yt_dlp/version.py', 'exec'))
 old_version = locals()['__version__']
 
-old_version_list = old_version.split(".", 4)
+old_version_list = old_version.split('.')
 
 old_ver = '.'.join(old_version_list[:3])
 old_rev = old_version_list[3] if len(old_version_list) > 3 else ''
@@ -19,15 +16,23 @@
 rev = str(int(old_rev or 0) + 1) if old_ver == ver else ''
 
 VERSION = '.'.join((ver, rev)) if rev else ver
-# VERSION_LIST = [(int(v) for v in ver.split(".") + [rev or 0])]
+
+try:
+    sp = subprocess.Popen(['git', 'rev-parse', '--short', 'HEAD'], stdout=subprocess.PIPE)
+    GIT_HEAD = sp.communicate()[0].decode().strip() or None
+except Exception:
+    GIT_HEAD = None
+
+VERSION_FILE = f'''
+# Autogenerated by devscripts/update-version.py
+
+__version__ = {VERSION!r}
+
+RELEASE_GIT_HEAD = {GIT_HEAD!r}
+'''.lstrip()
+
+with open('yt_dlp/version.py', 'wt') as f:
+    f.write(VERSION_FILE)
 
 print('::set-output name=ytdlp_version::' + VERSION)
-
-file_version_py = open('yt_dlp/version.py', 'rt')
-data = file_version_py.read()
-data = data.replace(old_version, VERSION)
-file_version_py.close()
-
-file_version_py = open('yt_dlp/version.py', 'wt')
-file_version_py.write(data)
-file_version_py.close()
+print(f'\nVersion = {VERSION}, Git HEAD = {GIT_HEAD}')
diff --git a/yt_dlp/YoutubeDL.py b/yt_dlp/YoutubeDL.py
index 5e2b633b7a..8a3accf530 100644
--- a/yt_dlp/YoutubeDL.py
+++ b/yt_dlp/YoutubeDL.py
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@
     _PLUGIN_CLASSES as plugin_postprocessors
 )
 from .update import detect_variant
-from .version import __version__
+from .version import __version__, RELEASE_GIT_HEAD
 
 if compat_os_name == 'nt':
     import ctypes
@@ -3401,7 +3401,11 @@ def get_encoding(stream):
             write_debug = lambda msg: self._write_string(f'[debug] {msg}\n')
 
         source = detect_variant()
-        write_debug('yt-dlp version %s%s' % (__version__, '' if source == 'unknown' else f' ({source})'))
+        write_debug(join_nonempty(
+            'yt-dlp version', __version__,
+            f'[{RELEASE_GIT_HEAD}]' if RELEASE_GIT_HEAD else '',
+            '' if source == 'unknown' else f'({source})',
+            delim=' '))
         if not _LAZY_LOADER:
             if os.environ.get('YTDLP_NO_LAZY_EXTRACTORS'):
                 write_debug('Lazy loading extractors is forcibly disabled')
@@ -3413,20 +3417,22 @@ def get_encoding(stream):
                 for name, klass in itertools.chain(plugin_extractors.items(), plugin_postprocessors.items())])
         if self.params.get('compat_opts'):
             write_debug('Compatibility options: %s' % ', '.join(self.params.get('compat_opts')))
-        try:
-            sp = Popen(
-                ['git', 'rev-parse', '--short', 'HEAD'],
-                stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
-                cwd=os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)))
-            out, err = sp.communicate_or_kill()
-            out = out.decode().strip()
-            if re.match('[0-9a-f]+', out):
-                write_debug('Git HEAD: %s' % out)
-        except Exception:
+
+        if source == 'source':
             try:
-                sys.exc_clear()
+                sp = Popen(
+                    ['git', 'rev-parse', '--short', 'HEAD'],
+                    stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
+                    cwd=os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)))
+                out, err = sp.communicate_or_kill()
+                out = out.decode().strip()
+                if re.match('[0-9a-f]+', out):
+                    write_debug('Git HEAD: %s' % out)
             except Exception:
-                pass
+                try:
+                    sys.exc_clear()
+                except Exception:
+                    pass
 
         def python_implementation():
             impl_name = platform.python_implementation()
diff --git a/yt_dlp/version.py b/yt_dlp/version.py
index 5290afa2db..aa8fd80a3e 100644
--- a/yt_dlp/version.py
+++ b/yt_dlp/version.py
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
-from __future__ import unicode_literals
+# Autogenerated by devscripts/update-version.py
 
 __version__ = '2021.11.10.1'
+
+RELEASE_GIT_HEAD = '7144b697f'