diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 97ce167..f2e6445 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -38,6 +38,10 @@ AC_SUBST(PYTHONLIBDIR)
 AS_AC_EXPAND(PLUGINSDIR, "\${libdir}/morituri/plugins")
 AC_MSG_NOTICE(Setting plugins directory to $PLUGINSDIR)
 
+dnl get git revision for installed.py.in
+AC_SUBST(REVISION, `python -c 'from morituri.configure import configure; print configure.revision'`)
+AC_MSG_NOTICE(Setting revision to $REVISION)
+
 dnl check for epydoc
 AC_CHECK_PROG(EPYDOC, epydoc, yes, no)
 AM_CONDITIONAL(HAVE_EPYDOC, test "x$EPYDOC" = "xyes")
diff --git a/morituri/common/common.py b/morituri/common/common.py
index 0af7186..aa964e9 100644
--- a/morituri/common/common.py
+++ b/morituri/common/common.py
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 
 import os
 import os.path
+import commands
 import math
 import subprocess
 
@@ -331,3 +332,17 @@ class VersionGetter(object):
             raise
 
         return version
+
+
+def getRevision():
+    """
+    Get a revision tag for the current git source tree.
+
+    Appends -modified in case there are local modifications.
+    """
+    describe = commands.getoutput('git describe')
+
+    if commands.getoutput('git diff-index --name-only HEAD --'):
+        describe += '-modified'
+
+    return describe
diff --git a/morituri/configure/configure.py b/morituri/configure/configure.py
index f55525a..6a38329 100644
--- a/morituri/configure/configure.py
+++ b/morituri/configure/configure.py
@@ -22,8 +22,6 @@ import os
 # where am I on the disk ?
 __thisdir = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
 
-revision = "$Revision$"
-
 if os.path.exists(os.path.join(__thisdir, 'uninstalled.py')):
     from morituri.configure import uninstalled
     config_dict = uninstalled.get()
diff --git a/morituri/configure/installed.py.in b/morituri/configure/installed.py.in
index c2c536a..c29a3f5 100644
--- a/morituri/configure/installed.py.in
+++ b/morituri/configure/installed.py.in
@@ -7,4 +7,5 @@ def get():
         'isinstalled': True,
         'pluginsdir': '@PLUGINSDIR@',
         'version': '@VERSION@',
+        'revision', '@REVISION@',
     }
diff --git a/morituri/configure/uninstalled.py.in b/morituri/configure/uninstalled.py.in
index 7e9aea3..a8155f8 100644
--- a/morituri/configure/uninstalled.py.in
+++ b/morituri/configure/uninstalled.py.in
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 # -*- Mode: Python -*-
 # vi:si:et:sw=4:sts=4:ts=4
 
-import os
+import os.path
+
+from morituri.common import common
 
 
 __thisdir = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
@@ -13,4 +15,5 @@ def get():
         'pluginsdir': os.path.abspath(os.path.join(
             __thisdir, '..', '..', 'plugins')),
         'version': '@VERSION@',
+        'revision': common.getRevision(),
     }