diff --git a/cmake/BuildSteps/WriteVersionHeader.cmake b/cmake/BuildSteps/WriteVersionHeader.cmake
index 8cf59b24bd..46b746c973 100644
--- a/cmake/BuildSteps/WriteVersionHeader.cmake
+++ b/cmake/BuildSteps/WriteVersionHeader.cmake
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 #  This program source code file is part of KICAD, a free EDA CAD application.
 #
 #  Copyright (C) 2015 Wayne Stambaugh <stambaughw@gmail.com>
-#  Copyright (C) 2015-2020 KiCad Developers, see AUTHORS.txt for contributors.
+#  Copyright (C) 2015-2024 KiCad Developers, see AUTHORS.txt for contributors.
 #
 #  This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
 #  modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ set( _wvh_new_version_text
 #endif
 
 #define KICAD_COMMIT_HASH               \"${KICAD_COMMIT_HASH}\"
+#define KICAD_VERSION                   \"${KICAD_VERSION}\"
 #define KICAD_VERSION_FULL              \"${KICAD_VERSION_FULL}\"
 #define KICAD_SEMANTIC_VERSION          \"${KICAD_SEMANTIC_VERSION}\"
 #define KICAD_MAJOR_VERSION             \"${KICAD_MAJOR_VERSION}\"
diff --git a/common/build_version.cpp b/common/build_version.cpp
index a57f4bca87..3e32d1cf75 100644
--- a/common/build_version.cpp
+++ b/common/build_version.cpp
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
  * This program source code file is part of KiCad, a free EDA CAD application.
  *
  * Copyright (C) 2015 Jean-Pierre Charras, jp.charras at wanadoo.fr
- * Copyright (C) 2015-2020 KiCad Developers, see AUTHORS.txt for contributors.
+ * Copyright (C) 2015-2024 KiCad Developers, see AUTHORS.txt for contributors.
  *
  * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
  * modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License
@@ -71,6 +71,13 @@ wxString GetBuildVersion()
 }
 
 
+wxString GetBaseVersion()
+{
+    wxString msg = wxString::Format( wxT( "%s" ), wxT( KICAD_VERSION ) );
+    return msg;
+}
+
+
 wxString GetBuildDate()
 {
     wxString msg = wxString::Format( wxT( "%s %s" ), wxT( __DATE__ ), wxT( __TIME__ ) );
diff --git a/common/drawing_sheet/ds_painter.cpp b/common/drawing_sheet/ds_painter.cpp
index b89568921a..43c8d94130 100644
--- a/common/drawing_sheet/ds_painter.cpp
+++ b/common/drawing_sheet/ds_painter.cpp
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 /*
  * This program source code file is part of KiCad, a free EDA CAD application.
  *
- * Copyright (C) 1992-2023 KiCad Developers, see AUTHORS.txt for contributors.
+ * Copyright (C) 1992-2024 KiCad Developers, see AUTHORS.txt for contributors.
  *
  *
  * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ wxString DS_DRAW_ITEM_LIST::BuildFullText( const wxString& aTextbase )
 
                 if( token->IsSameAs( wxT( "KICAD_VERSION" ) ) && PgmOrNull() )
                 {
-                    *token = wxString::Format( wxT( "%s %s" ), productName, GetSemanticVersion() );
+                    *token = wxString::Format( wxT( "%s %s" ), productName, GetBaseVersion() );
                     tokenUpdated = true;
                 }
                 else if( token->IsSameAs( wxT( "#" ) ) )
diff --git a/include/build_version.h b/include/build_version.h
index 694e364770..5c92a7bda8 100644
--- a/include/build_version.h
+++ b/include/build_version.h
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
  * This program source code file is part of KiCad, a free EDA CAD application.
  *
  * Copyright (C) 2007-2014 Jean-Pierre Charras, jp.charras at wanadoo.fr
- * Copyright (C) 1992-2020 KiCad Developers, see AUTHORS.TXT for contributors.
+ * Copyright (C) 1992-2024 KiCad Developers, see AUTHORS.TXT for contributors.
  *
  * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
  * modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License
@@ -40,6 +40,14 @@ class wxString;
  */
 KICOMMON_API wxString GetBuildVersion();
 
+/**
+ * Get the KiCad version string without the information added by the packagers.
+ * It is created by CMake in the KICAD_VERSION variable.
+ *
+ * @return the base version string
+ */
+KICOMMON_API wxString GetBaseVersion();
+
 /**
  * @return the bitness name string (like "Little endian")
  */