diff --git a/.github/workflows/shared.yml b/.github/workflows/shared.yml
index 404ec955c8..28f879b157 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/shared.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/shared.yml
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Build binary
         run: |
-          echo "${{ inputs.pace }}" > ./pkg/vere/PACE
+          echo "${{ inputs.pace }}" > ./PACE
           case "${{ matrix.target }}" in
             "linux-aarch64")
               bazel build --platforms=//:linux-aarch64 :urbit
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Upload binary to bootstrap.urbit.org
         if: ${{ inputs.upload }}
         run: |
-          version="$(cat ./pkg/vere/VERSION)"
+          version="$(cat ./VERSION)"
           target="gs://${UPLOAD_BASE}/${{ inputs.pace }}/v${version}/vere-v${version}-${{ matrix.target }}"
 
           # See https://github.com/urbit/vere/issues/86.
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Build and push Docker image
         if: ${{ inputs.docker && matrix.target == 'linux-x86_64' }}
         run: |
-          version="v$(cat ./pkg/vere/VERSION)"
+          version="v$(cat ./VERSION)"
           tag="$version-${{ inputs.pace }}"
           bazel run :upload_docker
 
@@ -253,13 +253,13 @@ jobs:
           target="gs://${UPLOAD_BASE}/${{ inputs.pace }}/last"
 
           # See https://github.com/urbit/vere/issues/86.
-          if [[ $(cat ./pkg/vere/VERSION) == "1.16" ]]; then
-            gsutil cp ./pkg/vere/VERSION "gs://${UPLOAD_BASE}/${{ inputs.pace }}/1.15/next"
+          if [[ $(cat ./VERSION) == "1.16" ]]; then
+            gsutil cp ./VERSION "gs://${UPLOAD_BASE}/${{ inputs.pace }}/1.15/next"
           fi
 
           # We don't use -n here because we want to overwrite the version
           # string.
-          gsutil cp ./pkg/vere/VERSION "$target"
+          gsutil cp ./VERSION "$target"
 
           [ $exitcode -eq 0 ] &&
             echo "Upload to $target completed successfully." ||
diff --git a/BUILD.bazel b/BUILD.bazel
index 2e222352f4..10515c44cc 100644
--- a/BUILD.bazel
+++ b/BUILD.bazel
@@ -126,6 +126,47 @@ platform(
     ],
 )
 
+# Produce the `U3_VERE_PACE` macro.
+genrule(
+    name = "pace",
+    srcs = ["PACE"],
+    outs = ["pace.h"],
+    cmd = """
+    echo '#ifndef URBIT_PACE_H' > $@
+    echo '#define URBIT_PACE_H' >> $@
+    printf '#define U3_VERE_PACE "%s"\n' $$(cat $< | tr -d '\n') >> $@
+    echo '#endif' >> $@
+    """,
+    visibility = ["//:__subpackages__"],
+)
+
+# Produce the `URBIT_VERSION` macro.
+genrule(
+    name = "version",
+    srcs = [
+        # Bazel warns dependency checking directories is unsound, but there's no
+        # apparent way around depending on .git if we want to run git commands.
+        ".git",
+        "PACE",
+        "VERSION",
+    ],
+    outs = ["version.h"],
+    cmd = """
+    version_num=`cat $(execpath VERSION) | tr -d '\n'`
+    commit_sha=`git rev-parse --short HEAD`
+    if [ `tr -d '\n' < $(execpath PACE)` == "live" ]; then
+        version="$$version_num"
+    else
+        version="$$version_num-$$commit_sha"
+    fi
+    echo '#ifndef URBIT_VERSION_H' > $@
+    echo '#define URBIT_VERSION_H' >> $@
+    printf '#define URBIT_VERSION "%s"\n' $$version >> $@
+    echo '#endif' >> $@
+    """,
+    visibility = ["//:__subpackages__"],
+)
+
 alias(
     name = "urbit",
     actual = "//pkg/vere:urbit",
diff --git a/PACE b/PACE
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b2d1a7762f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/PACE
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+once
diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..68209c0009
--- /dev/null
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+1.17
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/pkg/vere/BUILD.bazel b/pkg/vere/BUILD.bazel
index 4a24a28113..17656c5946 100644
--- a/pkg/vere/BUILD.bazel
+++ b/pkg/vere/BUILD.bazel
@@ -2,8 +2,6 @@
 # GENERATED FILES
 #
 
-exports_files(["PACE", "VERSION"])
-
 # An approximation of `xxd -i` that runs on all platforms where Bash is
 # present. Generates a `.h` file that declares the array and array length as
 # `extern` global variables and a `.c` file containing the array and array
@@ -84,34 +82,6 @@ genrule(
     visibility = ["//visibility:private"],
 )
 
-# Produce the `URBIT_VERSION` macro.
-genrule(
-    name = "version",
-    srcs = ["VERSION"],
-    outs = ["version.h"],
-    cmd = """
-    echo '#ifndef URBIT_VERSION_H' > $@
-    echo '#define URBIT_VERSION_H' >> $@
-    printf '#define URBIT_VERSION "%s"\n' $$(cat $<) >> $@
-    echo '#endif' >> $@
-    """,
-    visibility = ["//visibility:private"],
-)
-
-# Produce the `U3_VERE_PACE` macro.
-genrule(
-    name = "pace",
-    srcs = ["PACE"],
-    outs = ["pace.h"],
-    cmd = """
-    echo '#ifndef URBIT_PACE_H' > $@
-    echo '#define URBIT_PACE_H' >> $@
-    printf '#define U3_VERE_PACE "%s"\n' $$(cat $<) >> $@
-    echo '#endif' >> $@
-    """,
-    visibility = ["//visibility:private"],
-)
-
 #
 # LIBRARIES
 #
@@ -132,8 +102,8 @@ cc_library(
         ],
     ) + [
         ":ivory",
-        ":pace",
-        ":version",
+        "//:pace",
+        "//:version",
     ] + select({
         "@platforms//os:macos": [
             "platform/darwin/daemon.c",
@@ -174,8 +144,8 @@ cc_binary(
         "main.c",
         ":ca_bundle",
         ":ivory",
-        ":pace",
-        ":version",
+        "//:pace",
+        "//:version",
     ],
     features = select({
         "@platforms//os:linux": ["fully_static_link"],