diff --git a/.woodpecker.yml b/.woodpecker.yml
index dd0ef7da..20d74eaf 100644
--- a/.woodpecker.yml
+++ b/.woodpecker.yml
@@ -1,8 +1,3 @@
-clone:
-  git:
-    image: plugins/git
-    tags: true
-
 pipeline:
   codespell:
     when: { branch: master }
@@ -42,6 +37,8 @@ pipeline:
       - meson --buildtype=debug -Dgrapheme-clustering=enabled -Dfcft:text-shaping=enabled -Dfcft:test-text-shaping=true ../..
       - ninja -v -k0
       - ninja -v test
+      - ./foot --version
+      - ./footclient --version
       - cd ../..
 
       # Release
@@ -50,6 +47,8 @@ pipeline:
       - meson --buildtype=release -Dgrapheme-clustering=enabled -Dfcft:text-shaping=enabled  -Dfcft:test-text-shaping=true ../..
       - ninja -v -k0
       - ninja -v test
+      - ./foot --version
+      - ./footclient --version
       - cd ../..
 
       # no grapheme clustering
@@ -59,6 +58,8 @@ pipeline:
       - meson --buildtype=debug -Dgrapheme-clustering=disabled -Dfcft:text-shaping=disabled -Dfcft:test-text-shaping=false ../..
       - ninja -v -k0
       - ninja -v test
+      - ./foot --version
+      - ./footclient --version
       - cd ../..
 
   x86:
@@ -80,6 +81,8 @@ pipeline:
       - meson --buildtype=debug -Dgrapheme-clustering=enabled -Dfcft:text-shaping=enabled  -Dfcft:test-text-shaping=true ../..
       - ninja -v -k0
       - ninja -v test
+      - ./foot --version
+      - ./footclient --version
       - cd ../..
 
       # Release
@@ -88,4 +91,6 @@ pipeline:
       - meson --buildtype=release -Dgrapheme-clustering=enabled -Dfcft:text-shaping=enabled  -Dfcft:test-text-shaping=true ../..
       - ninja -v -k0
       - ninja -v test
+      - ./foot --version
+      - ./footclient --version
       - cd ../..
diff --git a/generate-version.sh b/generate-version.sh
index 3ea55ba9..369f36ed 100755
--- a/generate-version.sh
+++ b/generate-version.sh
@@ -13,7 +13,14 @@ out_file=${3}
 if [ -d "${src_dir}/.git" ] && command -v git > /dev/null; then
     workdir=$(pwd)
     cd "${src_dir}"
-    git_version=$(git describe --always --tags)
+
+    if git describe --tags  > /dev/null 2>&1; then
+        git_version=$(git describe --always --tags)
+    else
+        # No tags available, happens in e.g. CI builds
+        git_version="${default_version}"
+    fi
+
     git_branch=$(git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD)
     cd "${workdir}"