diff --git a/.waf-tools/version.py b/.waf-tools/version.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ef734dd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.waf-tools/version.py
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+# -*- Mode: python; py-indent-offset: 4; indent-tabs-mode: nil; coding: utf-8; -*-
+
+from waflib.Configure import conf
+from waflib import Utils
+import os
+
+def splitVersion(version):
+    base = version.split('-')[0]
+    split = [v for v in base.split('.')]
+    return base, version, split
+
+@conf
+def getVersion(conf, submodule, **kw):
+    tagPrefix = kw.get('tag', '%s-' % submodule)
+    baseVersion = kw.get('base_version', '0.0.0')
+    submodule = conf.path.find_node(submodule)
+
+    gitVersion = baseVersion
+
+    didGetVersion = False
+    try:
+        cmd = ['git', 'describe', '--always', '--match', '%s*' % tagPrefix]
+        p = Utils.subprocess.Popen(cmd, stdout=Utils.subprocess.PIPE,
+                                   cwd=submodule.abspath(),
+                                   stderr=None, stdin=None)
+        out = str(p.communicate()[0].strip())
+        didGetVersion = (p.returncode == 0 and out != "")
+        if didGetVersion:
+            if out.startswith(tagPrefix):
+                gitVersion = out[len(tagPrefix):]
+            else:
+                gitVersion = "%s-commit-%s" % (baseVersion, out)
+    except OSError:
+        pass
+
+    versionFile = submodule.find_node('VERSION')
+
+    if not didGetVersion and versionFile is not None:
+        try:
+            return splitVersion(versionFile.read())
+        except (OSError, IOError):
+            pass
+
+    # version was obtained from git, update VERSION file if necessary
+    if versionFile is not None:
+        try:
+            version = versionFile.read()
+            versionFile = None # no need to update
+        except (OSError, IOError):
+            Logs.warn("VERSION file exists, but not readable")
+    else:
+        versionFile = submodule.make_node('VERSION')
+
+    if versionFile:
+        try:
+            versionFile.write(gitVersion)
+        except (OSError, IOError):
+            Logs.warn("VERSION file is not writeable")
+
+    return splitVersion(gitVersion)