diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index d460001..6f9254c 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -6,19 +6,19 @@ export SONAME			= 4.3
 export VERSION			= 4.3.24
 
 all:
-		$(MAKE) -C src all
+		$(MAKE) VERSION=${VERSION} -C src all
 
 pure:
-		$(MAKE) -C src pure
+		$(MAKE) VERSION=${VERSION} -C src pure
 
 release:
-		$(MAKE) -C src release
+		$(MAKE) VERSION=${VERSION} -C src release
 
 static:
-		$(MAKE) -C src static
+		$(MAKE) VERSION=${VERSION} -C src static
 
 shared:
-		$(MAKE) -C src shared
+		$(MAKE) VERSION=${VERSION} -C src shared
 
 clean:
 		$(MAKE) -C src clean
diff --git a/src/Makefile b/src/Makefile
index c8c4401..d96674e 100644
--- a/src/Makefile
+++ b/src/Makefile
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 CPP	        		= g++
 RM	        		= rm -f
-CPPFLAGS			= -Wall -c -I../include -std=c++17 -MD -Wno-class-conversion
+CPPFLAGS			= -Wall -c -I../include -std=c++17 -MD -Wno-class-conversion -DVERSION=${VERSION}
 LD	        		= g++
 LD_FLAGS			= -Wall -shared
 SHARED_LIB			= lib$(LIBRARY_NAME).so.$(VERSION)
diff --git a/src/connectionstartframe.h b/src/connectionstartframe.h
index 27701bf..a7658e9 100644
--- a/src/connectionstartframe.h
+++ b/src/connectionstartframe.h
@@ -14,6 +14,18 @@
 #include "programname.h"
 #include "platformname.h"
 
+/**
+ *  Cause we want to print out version string that is passed to compiled with -D
+ *  flag. Why 2 macros? https://www.guyrutenberg.com/2008/12/20/expanding-macros-into-string-constants-in-c/
+ */
+#define STR_EXPAND(s) #s
+#define STR(s) STR_EXPAND(s)
+
+/**
+ *  The version and distro names
+ */
+#define VERSION_NAME    STR(VERSION)
+
 /**
  *  Set up namespace
  */
@@ -207,7 +219,7 @@ public:
         
         // fill the peer properties
         if (!properties.contains("product")) properties["product"] = ProgramName();
-        if (!properties.contains("version")) properties["version"] = "Unknown";
+        if (!properties.contains("version")) properties["version"] = "AMQP-CPP " VERSION_NAME;
         if (!properties.contains("platform")) properties["platform"] = PlatformName();
         if (!properties.contains("copyright")) properties["copyright"] = "Copernica AMQP-CPP library :: Copyright 2015-2023 Copernica BV";
         if (!properties.contains("information")) properties["information"] = "https://github.com/CopernicaMarketingSoftware/AMQP-CPP";
diff --git a/src/platformname.h b/src/platformname.h
index af89410..a1bccf2 100644
--- a/src/platformname.h
+++ b/src/platformname.h
@@ -41,13 +41,13 @@ public:
     PlatformName()
     {
         // all information
-        struct utsname sysinfo;
+        struct utsname info;
 
         // retrieve system info
-        if (uname(&sysinfo) != 0) return;
+        if (uname(&info) != 0) return;
         
         // add all info
-        _value.append(sysinfo.sysname).append(" ").append(sysinfo.version).append(" ").append(sysinfo.release).append(" running on ").append(sysinfo.nodename);
+        _value.append(info.sysname).append(" ").append(info.nodename).append(" ").append(info.release).append(" ").append(info.version);
     }
     
     /**
diff --git a/src/programname.h b/src/programname.h
index 3fd892d..edae22d 100644
--- a/src/programname.h
+++ b/src/programname.h
@@ -45,7 +45,17 @@ public:
     /**
      *  Constructor
      */
-    ProgramName() : _valid(readlink("/proc/self/exe", _path, PATH_MAX) == 0) {}
+    ProgramName()
+    {
+        // read the link target
+        auto size = readlink("/proc/self/exe", _path, PATH_MAX);
+        
+        // -1 is returned on error, otherwise the size
+        _valid = size >= 0;
+        
+        // set trailing null byte
+        _path[size == PATH_MAX ? PATH_MAX-1 : size] = '\0';
+    }
     
     /**
      *  Destructor
@@ -61,11 +71,8 @@ public:
         // empty string when not valid
         if (!_valid) return "";
         
-        // locate the last slash
-        auto *slash = strrchr(_path, '/');
-        
-        // if not found return entire path, otherwise just the program name
-        return slash ? slash + 1 : _path;
+        // return path to executable
+        return _path;
     }
 };