diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index ed4f6ff1b..5d650e45d 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -173,7 +173,6 @@ DOCSOURCEFILES:= \
 # files which should be updated when the version changes
 VERSIONSENSITIVEFILES=\
 	$(HPACKFILES) \
-	hledger-api/hledger-api.hs \
 	doc/lib.m4 \
 
 # # file(s) which require recompilation for a build to have an up-to-date version string
@@ -1199,11 +1198,6 @@ updatedate: setdate $(call def-help,updatedate, set date in manuals to current m
 	perl -pe "s/(hledger(-\w+)?) *>=? *((\d+\.)*\d+) *$$/\$$1 >=$(VERSION)/" -i $@                                 # hledgerX >= A
 	perl -pe "s/(hledger(-\w+)?) *>=? *((\d+\.)*\d+) *&& *< *((\d+\.)*\d+) *$$/\$$1 >=$(VERSION) && <\$$5/" -i $@  # hledgerX >= A && < B
 
-# update hledger-api's version strings
-hledger-api/hledger-api.hs: $(VERSIONFILE)
-	perl -pe "s/(hledgerApiVersion=)\"((\d+\.)*\d+)\" *$$/\$$1\"$(VERSION)\"/" -i $@
-	perl -pe "s/(.*?hledger-api +)((\d+\.)*\d+)(.*)$$/\$${1}$(VERSION)\$$4/" -i $@
-
 # update version string used in generated docs
 doc/lib.m4: $(VERSIONFILE)
 	perl -pe "s/^(m4_define\({{_version_}}, *{{)((\d+\.)*\d+)(}}\)m4_dnl *)$$/\$${1}$(VERSION)\$${4}/" -i $@
diff --git a/hledger-api/hledger-api.hs b/hledger-api/hledger-api.hs
index a5e45ea49..e1a6106e2 100644
--- a/hledger-api/hledger-api.hs
+++ b/hledger-api/hledger-api.hs
@@ -37,12 +37,17 @@ import           Text.Printf
 import Hledger.Query
 import Hledger.Cli hiding (Reader, version)
 
-hledgerApiVersion="1.13"
+#ifdef VERSION
+hledgerApiVersion = VERSION
+#else
+hledgerApiVersion = "dev build"
+#endif
 
 -- https://github.com/docopt/docopt.hs#readme
+-- XXX VERSION is "X.Y" and the quotes appear in the output
 doc :: Docopt
 doc = [docopt|
-hledger-api 1.13
+hledger-api VERSION
 
 Serves hledger data and reports as a JSON web API.