diff --git a/py/py-version.sh b/py/py-version.sh
index 42474ef6a5854762def09e607d7a764dca354895..daa25489e71a2f44efee1c82d653d59df0625bd8 100755
--- a/py/py-version.sh
+++ b/py/py-version.sh
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-git_tag="$(git describe --dirty || echo unknown)"
+# Note: git describe doesn't work if no tag is available
+git_tag="$(git describe --dirty 2> /dev/null || git rev-parse --short HEAD)"
 git_hash="$(git rev-parse --short HEAD 2> /dev/null || echo unknown)"
 git_files_are_clean=1
 # Check if there are any modified files.