diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index a49c484fe64e..cea6ca78cfa0 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -16,8 +16,10 @@ project('libcamera', 'c', 'cpp',
 # only. If the source tree isn't under git control, or if it matches the last
 # git version tag, the build metadata (e.g. +211-c94a24f4) is omitted from
 # libcamera_git_version.
+version_sha_override = get_option('version_sha')
 libcamera_git_version = run_command('utils/gen-version.sh',
-                                    meson.build_root()).stdout().strip()
+                                    meson.build_root(),
+                                    version_sha_override).stdout().strip()
 if libcamera_git_version == ''
     libcamera_git_version = meson.project_version()
 endif
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index 2c80ad8b5e0b..96db8de4cdeb 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -58,3 +58,8 @@ option('v4l2',
         type : 'boolean',
         value : false,
         description : 'Compile the V4L2 compatibility layer')
+
+option('version_sha',
+        type : 'string',
+        value : '',
+        description : 'Custom version sha string to use')
diff --git a/src/libcamera/meson.build b/src/libcamera/meson.build
index 243dd3c180eb..94cded2ce6c3 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/meson.build
+++ b/src/libcamera/meson.build
@@ -93,9 +93,10 @@ endforeach
 
 libcamera_sources += control_sources
 
+version_sha_override = get_option('version_sha')
 gen_version = meson.source_root() / 'utils' / 'gen-version.sh'
 
-version_cpp = vcs_tag(command : [gen_version, meson.build_root()],
+version_cpp = vcs_tag(command : [gen_version, meson.build_root(), version_sha_override],
                       input : 'version.cpp.in',
                       output : 'version.cpp',
                       fallback : meson.project_version())