diff --git a/common/version.c b/common/version.c
index 844f18e8..2786a4d9 100644
--- a/common/version.c
+++ b/common/version.c
@@ -66,4 +66,22 @@ eprint_version(void)
     exit(EXIT_SUCCESS);
 }
 
+/** Get version string.
+ * \return A string describing the current version.
+ */
+const char *
+awesome_version_string(void)
+{
+    return AWESOME_VERSION;
+}
+
+/** Get release string.
+ * \return A string describing the code name of the relase.
+ */
+const char *
+awesome_release_string(void)
+{
+    return AWESOME_RELEASE;
+}
+
 // vim: filetype=c:expandtab:shiftwidth=4:tabstop=8:softtabstop=4:textwidth=80
diff --git a/common/version.h b/common/version.h
index bee63163..ee368bc3 100644
--- a/common/version.h
+++ b/common/version.h
@@ -23,5 +23,7 @@
 #define AWESOME_COMMON_VERSION_H
 
 void eprint_version(void) __attribute__ ((noreturn));
+const char *awesome_version_string(void);
+const char *awesome_release_string(void);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/luaa.c b/luaa.c
index 074f2b89..04b0a262 100644
--- a/luaa.c
+++ b/luaa.c
@@ -23,9 +23,9 @@
 
 #include "luaa.h"
 #include "globalconf.h"
-#include "awesome-version-internal.h"
 #include "awesome.h"
 #include "common/backtrace.h"
+#include "common/version.h"
 #include "config.h"
 #include "event.h"
 #include "objects/client.h"
@@ -222,13 +222,13 @@ luaA_awesome_index(lua_State *L)
 
     if(A_STREQ(buf, "version"))
     {
-        lua_pushliteral(L, AWESOME_VERSION);
+        lua_pushstring(L, awesome_version_string());
         return 1;
     }
 
     if(A_STREQ(buf, "release"))
     {
-        lua_pushliteral(L, AWESOME_RELEASE);
+        lua_pushstring(L, awesome_release_string());
         return 1;
     }