diff --git a/rebar.config b/rebar.config
index a7e1255..a86a6bc 100644
--- a/rebar.config
+++ b/rebar.config
@@ -15,6 +15,11 @@
 {escript_emu_args, "%%! \n"}.
 {provider_hooks, [{post, [{compile, escriptize}]}]}.
 
+{pre_hooks, [{"(linux|darwin|solaris|freebsd|netbsd|openbsd)",
+              app_compile,
+              "test -e VERSION"}
+             ]}.
+
 {post_hooks, [{"(linux|darwin|solaris|freebsd|netbsd|openbsd)",
                escriptize,
                "cp \"$REBAR_BUILD_DIR/bin/aesophia\" ./aesophia"},