diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index f306a81dc..c042314fc 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ endif
 # holding the same names in the current directory.
 
 ifeq ($(IGNOREGIT),)
-VERSION := $(shell [ -d .git/. ] && ref=`(git describe --tags) 2>/dev/null` && ref=$${ref%-g*} && echo "$${ref\#v}")
+VERSION := $(shell [ -d .git/. ] && ref=`(git describe --tags --match 'v*') 2>/dev/null` && ref=$${ref%-g*} && echo "$${ref\#v}")
 ifneq ($(VERSION),)
 # OK git is there and works.
 SUBVERS := $(shell comms=`git log --no-merges v$(VERSION).. 2>/dev/null |grep -c ^commit `; [ $$comms -gt 0 ] && echo "-$$comms" )