diff --git a/src/config.rs b/src/config.rs
index 839af5cfb..63772ab8a 100644
--- a/src/config.rs
+++ b/src/config.rs
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ impl Context {
                 let rel_path = self.sql.get_config(self, key);
                 rel_path.map(|p| dc_get_abs_path_safe(self, &p).to_str().unwrap().to_string())
             }
-            Config::SysVersion => Some(std::str::from_utf8(DC_VERSION_STR).unwrap().into()),
+            Config::SysVersion => Some((&*DC_VERSION_STR).clone()),
             Config::SysMsgsizeMaxRecommended => Some(format!("{}", 24 * 1024 * 1024 / 4 * 3)),
             Config::SysConfigKeys => Some(get_config_keys_string()),
             _ => self.sql.get_config(self, key),
diff --git a/src/constants.rs b/src/constants.rs
index 6f22595e9..bfb2fbaf7 100644
--- a/src/constants.rs
+++ b/src/constants.rs
@@ -1,8 +1,13 @@
 //! Constants
 #![allow(non_camel_case_types)]
+
+use lazy_static::lazy_static;
+
 use deltachat_derive::*;
 
-pub const DC_VERSION_STR: &[u8; 14] = b"1.0.0-alpha.3\x00";
+lazy_static! {
+    pub static ref DC_VERSION_STR: String = env!("CARGO_PKG_VERSION").to_string();
+}
 
 #[repr(u8)]
 #[derive(Debug, Display, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq, FromPrimitive, ToPrimitive, ToSql, FromSql)]
diff --git a/src/context.rs b/src/context.rs
index aee416167..9ca80c361 100644
--- a/src/context.rs
+++ b/src/context.rs
@@ -440,7 +440,7 @@ pub unsafe fn dc_get_info(context: &Context) -> *mut libc::c_char {
          public_key_count={}\n\
          fingerprint={}\n\
          level=awesome\n",
-        as_str(DC_VERSION_STR as *const u8 as *const _),
+        &*DC_VERSION_STR,
         rusqlite::version(),
         sqlite3_threadsafe(),
         // arch
@@ -481,7 +481,7 @@ pub unsafe fn dc_get_info(context: &Context) -> *mut libc::c_char {
 }
 
 pub unsafe fn dc_get_version_str() -> *mut libc::c_char {
-    dc_strdup(DC_VERSION_STR as *const u8 as *const libc::c_char)
+    (&*DC_VERSION_STR).strdup()
 }
 
 pub fn dc_get_fresh_msgs(context: &Context) -> *mut dc_array_t {
diff --git a/src/dc_mimefactory.rs b/src/dc_mimefactory.rs
index e4f22e6de..5b1cbb06a 100644
--- a/src/dc_mimefactory.rs
+++ b/src/dc_mimefactory.rs
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ use std::ptr;
 
 use crate::constants::*;
 use crate::contact::*;
-use crate::context::Context;
+use crate::context::{dc_get_version_str, Context};
 use crate::dc_chat::*;
 use crate::dc_e2ee::*;
 use crate::dc_location::*;
@@ -478,18 +478,19 @@ pub unsafe fn dc_mimefactory_render(mut factory: *mut dc_mimefactory_t) -> libc:
             .map(|s| format!("/{}", s))
             .unwrap_or_default();
         let os_part = CString::new(os_part).expect("String -> CString conversion failed");
-
+        let version = dc_get_version_str();
         mailimf_fields_add(
             imf_fields,
             mailimf_field_new_custom(
                 strdup(b"X-Mailer\x00" as *const u8 as *const libc::c_char),
                 dc_mprintf(
                     b"Delta Chat Core %s%s\x00" as *const u8 as *const libc::c_char,
-                    DC_VERSION_STR as *const u8 as *const libc::c_char,
+                    version,
                     os_part.as_ptr(),
                 ),
             ),
         );
+        free(version.cast());
 
         mailimf_fields_add(
             imf_fields,
@@ -960,12 +961,14 @@ pub unsafe fn dc_mimefactory_render(mut factory: *mut dc_mimefactory_t) -> libc:
             message_text = format!("{}\r\n", p2).strdup();
             let human_mime_part: *mut mailmime = build_body_text(message_text);
             mailmime_add_part(multipart, human_mime_part);
+            let version = dc_get_version_str();
             message_text2 =
                 dc_mprintf(b"Reporting-UA: Delta Chat %s\r\nOriginal-Recipient: rfc822;%s\r\nFinal-Recipient: rfc822;%s\r\nOriginal-Message-ID: <%s>\r\nDisposition: manual-action/MDN-sent-automatically; displayed\r\n\x00"
                                as *const u8 as *const libc::c_char,
-                           DC_VERSION_STR as *const u8 as *const libc::c_char,
+                           version,
                            (*factory).from_addr, (*factory).from_addr,
                            (*(*factory).msg).rfc724_mid);
+            free(version.cast());
             let content_type_0: *mut mailmime_content = mailmime_content_new_with_str(
                 b"message/disposition-notification\x00" as *const u8 as *const libc::c_char,
             );