diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index b70036bfca8..18de27dacd0 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -33,7 +33,6 @@ hail/python/hail/docs/experimental/hail.experimental.DB.rst
 hail/python/hailtop/batch/docs/api/
 hail/upload-qob-jar
 hail/upload-qob-test-resources
-**/hail_version
 web_common/web_common/static/css/
 docs.tar.gz
 website/website/static/css/
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index fcb52fafb5b..43cbb87e220 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ HAILGENETICS_IMAGES = $(foreach img,hail vep-grch37-85 vep-grch38-95,hailgenetic
 CI_IMAGES = ci-utils hail-buildkit base hail-run
 PRIVATE_REGISTRY_IMAGES = $(patsubst %, pushed-private-%-image, $(SPECIAL_IMAGES) $(SERVICES_PLUS_ADMIN_POD) $(CI_IMAGES) $(HAILGENETICS_IMAGES))
 
-HAILTOP_VERSION := hail/python/hailtop/hail_version
+HAILTOP_VERSION := hail/python/hailtop/version.py
 SERVICES_IMAGE_DEPS = hail-ubuntu-image $(HAILTOP_VERSION) $(shell git ls-files hail/python/hailtop gear web_common)
 
 EMPTY :=
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ generate-pip-lockfiles:
 	./generate-pip-lockfile.sh ci
 
 $(HAILTOP_VERSION):
-	$(MAKE) -C hail python/hailtop/hail_version
+	$(MAKE) -C hail python-version-info
 
 
 %-image: IMAGE_NAME = $(patsubst %-image,%,$@):$(TOKEN)
diff --git a/batch/batch/front_end/front_end.py b/batch/batch/front_end/front_end.py
index 770ebb5b4a6..77f65ea4571 100644
--- a/batch/batch/front_end/front_end.py
+++ b/batch/batch/front_end/front_end.py
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@
 from gear.database import CallError
 from gear.profiling import install_profiler_if_requested
 from gear.time_limited_max_size_cache import TimeLimitedMaxSizeCache
-from hailtop import aiotools, dictfix, httpx, uvloopx, version
+from hailtop import __version__, aiotools, dictfix, httpx, uvloopx
 from hailtop.auth import hail_credentials
 from hailtop.batch_client.globals import MAX_JOB_GROUPS_DEPTH, ROOT_JOB_GROUP_ID
 from hailtop.batch_client.parse import parse_cpu_in_mcpu, parse_memory_in_bytes, parse_storage_in_bytes
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ async def get_healthcheck(_) -> web.Response:
 @routes.get('/api/v1alpha/version')
 @api_security_headers
 async def rest_get_version(_) -> web.Response:
-    return web.Response(text=version())
+    return web.Response(text=__version__)
 
 
 @routes.get('/api/v1alpha/cloud')
@@ -3490,7 +3490,7 @@ async def swagger(request):
 @routes.get('/openapi.yaml')
 @web_security_headers
 async def openapi(request):
-    page_context = {'base_path': deploy_config.base_path('batch'), 'spec_version': version()}
+    page_context = {'base_path': deploy_config.base_path('batch'), 'spec_version': __version__}
     return await render_template('batch', request, None, 'openapi.yaml', page_context)
 
 
diff --git a/batch/test/utils.py b/batch/test/utils.py
index 2b0e8122ac3..6a5757d10e2 100644
--- a/batch/test/utils.py
+++ b/batch/test/utils.py
@@ -4,10 +4,10 @@
 
 import hailtop.batch_client.aioclient as aiobc
 import hailtop.batch_client.client as bc
-from hailtop import pip_version
+from hailtop import __pip_version__
 
 DOCKER_ROOT_IMAGE = os.environ.get('DOCKER_ROOT_IMAGE', 'ubuntu:22.04')
-HAIL_GENETICS_HAIL_IMAGE = os.environ.get('HAIL_GENETICS_HAIL_IMAGE', f'hailgenetics/hail:{pip_version()}')
+HAIL_GENETICS_HAIL_IMAGE = os.environ.get('HAIL_GENETICS_HAIL_IMAGE', f'hailgenetics/hail:{__pip_version__}')
 
 
 @overload
diff --git a/build.yaml b/build.yaml
index c4c21c5ecb7..327582ddff9 100644
--- a/build.yaml
+++ b/build.yaml
@@ -22,16 +22,9 @@ steps:
       cd repo
       {{ code.checkout_script }}
       make -C hail python-version-info HAIL_RELEASE_MODE=1 MILLOPTS=--no-server
-      git rev-parse HEAD > git_version
     outputs:
       - from: /io/repo/
         to: /repo
-      - from: /io/repo/hail/python/hail/hail_version
-        to: /hail_version
-      - from: /io/repo/hail/python/hail/hail_pip_version
-        to: /hail_pip_version
-      - from: /io/repo/git_version
-        to: /git_version
     dependsOn:
       - git_make_bash_image
   - kind: createNamespace
@@ -279,8 +272,6 @@ steps:
         to: /io/repo/hail/python/MANIFEST.in
       - from: /repo/hail/python/hailtop
         to: /io/repo/hail/python/hailtop
-      - from: /hail_version
-        to: /io/repo/hail/python/hailtop/hail_version
       - from: /repo/gear
         to: /io/repo/gear
     dependsOn:
@@ -354,8 +345,6 @@ steps:
         to: /io/repo/hail/python/MANIFEST.in
       - from: /repo/hail/python/hailtop
         to: /io/repo/hail/python/hailtop
-      - from: /hail_version
-        to: /io/repo/hail/python/hailtop/hail_version
       - from: /repo/gear
         to: /io/repo/gear
       - from: /repo/web_common
@@ -623,8 +612,6 @@ steps:
         to: /io/repo/hail/python/MANIFEST.in
       - from: /repo/hail/python/hailtop
         to: /io/repo/hail/python/hailtop
-      - from: /hail_version
-        to: /io/repo/hail/python/hailtop/hail_version
       - from: /repo/gear
         to: /io/repo/gear
       - from: /repo/web_common
@@ -650,8 +637,6 @@ steps:
         to: /io/repo/hail/python/MANIFEST.in
       - from: /repo/hail/python/hailtop
         to: /io/repo/hail/python/hailtop
-      - from: /hail_version
-        to: /io/repo/hail/python/hailtop/hail_version
       - from: /repo/gear
         to: /io/repo/gear
       - from: /repo/web_common
@@ -673,8 +658,6 @@ steps:
         to: /io/repo/hail/python/MANIFEST.in
       - from: /repo/hail/python/hailtop
         to: /io/repo/hail/python/hailtop
-      - from: /hail_version
-        to: /io/repo/hail_version
     dependsOn:
       - merge_code
       - hail_ubuntu_image
@@ -692,8 +675,6 @@ steps:
         to: /io/repo/hail/python/MANIFEST.in
       - from: /repo/hail/python/hailtop
         to: /io/repo/hail/python/hailtop
-      - from: /hail_version
-        to: /io/repo/hail/python/hailtop/hail_version
       - from: /repo/gear
         to: /io/repo/gear
       - from: /repo/web_common
@@ -743,10 +724,8 @@ steps:
       time retry make wheel
 
       # Check wheel size is small enough for pypi (< 200 MiB)
-      HAIL_PIP_VERSION=$(cat python/hail/hail_pip_version)
-      WHEEL_PATH="build/deploy/dist/hail-$HAIL_PIP_VERSION-py3-none-any.whl"
-      du -h $WHEEL_PATH
-      $(python3 -c "import os; exit(1) if (os.path.getsize('$WHEEL_PATH')) > (200 * 1024 * 1024) else exit(0)")
+      BYTES=$(du build/deploy/dist/hail-*-py3-none-any.whl | awk '{print $1}')
+      (( BYTES < 209715200 )) || exit 1
     inputs:
       - from: /repo
         to: /io/repo
@@ -941,16 +920,12 @@ steps:
         to: /io/repo/hail/python/MANIFEST.in
       - from: /repo/hail/python/hailtop
         to: /io/repo/hail/python/hailtop
-      - from: /hail_version
-        to: /io/repo/hail/python/hailtop/hail_version
       - from: /repo/gear
         to: /io/repo/gear
       - from: /repo/web_common
         to: /io/repo/web_common
       - from: /jvm-entryway.jar
         to: /io/repo/batch/jvm-entryway/build/libs/jvm-entryway.jar
-      - from: /hail_version
-        to: /io/repo/hail_version
     dependsOn:
       - merge_code
       - hail_ubuntu_image
@@ -1354,15 +1329,13 @@ steps:
       mv python/hail/docs/_build/html www/docs/0.2
       mv python/hailtop/batch/docs/_build/html www/docs/batch
 
-      HAIL_CACHE_VERSION=$(cat python/hail/hail_version)
+      HAIL_CACHE_VERSION=$(cat env/HAIL_VERSION)
       find www -iname *.html -type f -exec sed -i -e "s/\.css/\.css\?v\=$HAIL_CACHE_VERSION/" {} +;
 
       tar czf /io/www.tar.gz www
     inputs:
-      - from: /repo/hail/python
-        to: /io/hail/python
-      - from: /hail_version
-        to: /io/repo/hail/python/hail/hail_version
+      - from: /repo/hail
+        to: /io/hail
       - from: /repo/website/website
         to: /io/website/website
       - from: /derived/release/hail/build/deploy/dist
@@ -1594,7 +1567,7 @@ steps:
       # dev deploy elides the hail-is remote, add it and retrieve the tags
       git remote add hail-is https://github.com/hail-is/hail.git
 
-      export HAIL_PIP_VERSION=$(cat /io/hail_pip_version)
+      export HAIL_PIP_VERSION=$(cat hail/env/HAIL_PIP_VERSION)
 
       if git ls-remote --exit-code --tags hail-is $HAIL_PIP_VERSION
       then
@@ -1627,8 +1600,6 @@ steps:
         to: /io/repo
       - from: /www.tar.gz
         to: /io/www.tar.gz
-      - from: /hail_pip_version
-        to: /io/hail_pip_version
     outputs:
       - from: /io/docs.tar.gz
         to: /docs.tar.gz
@@ -2437,7 +2408,7 @@ steps:
       {% else %}
       HAIL_QUERY_JAR_URL={{ global.test_storage_uri }}/{{ default_ns.name }}
       {% endif %}
-      HAIL_QUERY_JAR_URL=${HAIL_QUERY_JAR_URL}/jars/$(cat /io/git_version).jar
+      HAIL_QUERY_JAR_URL=${HAIL_QUERY_JAR_URL}/jars/$(cat /io/REVISION).jar
 
       python3 -m hailtop.aiotools.copy 'null' '[{"from": "/io/hail.jar", "to": "'${HAIL_QUERY_JAR_URL}'"}]'
     secrets:
@@ -2448,8 +2419,8 @@ steps:
     inputs:
       - from: /derived/release/hail/out/hail/assembly.dest/out.jar
         to: /io/hail.jar
-      - from: /git_version
-        to: /io/git_version
+      - from: /repo/hail/env/REVISION
+        to: /io/REVISION
     dependsOn:
       - default_ns
       - deploy_batch
@@ -2842,7 +2813,6 @@ steps:
       cp -R /io/repo/hail/python ./hail/
       cp /io/repo/hail/Makefile ./hail/
       cp /io/repo/hail/env_var.mk ./hail/
-      cp /io/repo/hail/version.mk ./hail/
       cp -R /io/repo/web_common ./
       cp /io/repo/hail/python/setup-hailtop.py ./hail/python/
 
@@ -3278,7 +3248,7 @@ steps:
       gcloud config set project hail-vdc
       gcloud config set dataproc/region us-central1
 
-      if git ls-remote --exit-code --tags origin $(cat /io/hail_pip_version)
+      if git ls-remote --exit-code --tags origin $(cat hail/env/HAIL_PIP_VERSION)
       then
           echo "tag $HAIL_PIP_VERSION already exists"
           exit 0
@@ -3293,8 +3263,6 @@ steps:
       - merge_code
       - build_hail_jar_and_wheel
     inputs:
-      - from: /hail_pip_version
-        to: /io/hail_pip_version
       - from: /repo
         to: /io/repo
       - from: /derived/release/hail/build/deploy/dist
@@ -3324,7 +3292,7 @@ steps:
       gcloud config set project hail-vdc
       gcloud config set dataproc/region us-central1
 
-      if git ls-remote --exit-code --tags origin $(cat /io/hail_pip_version)
+      if git ls-remote --exit-code --tags origin $(cat hail/env/HAIL_PIP_VERSION)
       then
           echo "tag $HAIL_PIP_VERSION already exists"
           exit 0
@@ -3339,8 +3307,6 @@ steps:
       - merge_code
       - build_hail_jar_and_wheel
     inputs:
-      - from: /hail_pip_version
-        to: /io/hail_pip_version
       - from: /repo
         to: /io/repo
       - from: /derived/release/hail/build/deploy/dist
@@ -3377,7 +3343,7 @@ steps:
       export GIT_ASKPASS=/io/git-askpass
 
       cd /io/repo/hail
-      export HAIL_PIP_VERSION=$(cat /io/hail_pip_version)
+      export HAIL_PIP_VERSION=$(cat env/HAIL_PIP_VERSION)
 
       if git ls-remote --exit-code --tags origin $HAIL_PIP_VERSION
       then
@@ -3393,9 +3359,9 @@ steps:
 
       echo Setting arguments and invoking release.sh.
 
-      HAIL_VERSION=$(cat /io/hail_version) \
+      HAIL_VERSION=$(cat env/HAIL_VERSION) \
       WHEEL="build/deploy/dist/hail-${HAIL_PIP_VERSION}-py3-none-any.whl" \
-      GIT_VERSION=$(cat /io/git_version) \
+      GIT_VERSION=$(cat env/REVISION) \
       REMOTE=origin \
       GITHUB_OAUTH_HEADER_FILE=/io/github-oauth \
       HAIL_GENETICS_HAIL_IMAGE=docker://{{ hailgenetics_hail_image.image }} \
@@ -3410,12 +3376,6 @@ steps:
 
       echo '1' > /io/release-hail-flag
     inputs:
-      - from: /hail_version
-        to: /io/hail_version
-      - from: /hail_pip_version
-        to: /io/hail_pip_version
-      - from: /git_version
-        to: /io/git_version
       - from: /repo
         to: /io/repo
       - from: /derived/release/hail/out/hail/assembly.dest/out.jar
@@ -3480,8 +3440,6 @@ steps:
       - ci_utils_image
       - release
     inputs:
-      - from: /hail_pip_version
-        to: /io/hail_pip_version
       - from: /release-hail-flag
         to: /io/release-hail-flag
       - from: /repo
@@ -3504,18 +3462,16 @@ steps:
           exit 0
       fi
 
-      export HAIL_PIP_VERSION=$(cat /io/hail_pip_version)
-      export GITHUB_OAUTH_HEADER_FILE=/io/github-oauth
-      cd /io
-
       printf 'Authorization: token ' > github-oauth
-      cat /hail-ci-0-1-github-oauth-token/oauth-token >>github-oauth
+      cat /hail-ci-0-1-github-oauth-token/oauth-token >> /io/github-oauth
       printf '#!/bin/bash\necho ' > git-askpass
-      cat /hail-ci-0-1-github-oauth-token/oauth-token >>git-askpass
-      chmod 755 git-askpass
+      cat /hail-ci-0-1-github-oauth-token/oauth-token >> /io/git-askpass
+      chmod 755 /io/git-askpass
       export GIT_ASKPASS=/io/git-askpass
 
       cd /io/repo/hail
+      export HAIL_PIP_VERSION=$(cat env/HAIL_PIP_VERSION)
+      export GITHUB_OAUTH_HEADER_FILE=/io/github-oauth
       bash scripts/make-terra-prs.sh
   - kind: runImage
     name: mirror_hailgenetics_images
@@ -3539,12 +3495,12 @@ steps:
       set -x
 
       cd /io/docker/hailgenetics
-      export HAIL_PIP_VERSION=$(cat /io/hail_pip_version)
+      export HAIL_PIP_VERSION=$(cat /io/HAIL_PIP_VERSION)
       export DOCKER_PREFIX={{ global.docker_prefix }}
       bash mirror_images.sh
     inputs:
-      - from: /hail_pip_version
-        to: /io/hail_pip_version
+      - from: /repo/hail/env/HAIL_PIP_VERSION
+        to: /io/HAIL_PIP_VERSION
       - from: /repo/docker/hailgenetics/mirror_images.sh
         to: /io/docker/hailgenetics/mirror_images.sh
       - from: /repo/docker/copy_image.sh
@@ -3571,8 +3527,6 @@ steps:
         to: /io/repo/hail/python/MANIFEST.in
       - from: /repo/hail/python/hailtop
         to: /io/repo/hail/python/hailtop
-      - from: /hail_version
-        to: /io/repo/hail/python/hailtop/hail_version
       - from: /repo/gear
         to: /io/repo/gear
       - from: /repo/web_common
@@ -3745,8 +3699,6 @@ steps:
         to: /io/repo/hail/python
       - from: /repo/hail/scripts/benchmark_in_batch.py
         to: /io/repo/hail/scripts/benchmark_in_batch.py
-      - from: /hail_version
-        to: /io/hail_version
       - from: /release-hail-flag
         to: /io/release-hail-flag
     script: |
@@ -3762,7 +3714,7 @@ steps:
       pushd /io/repo/hail
 
       BUCKET=hail-benchmarks-2
-      HAIL_VERSION=$(cat /io/hail_version)
+      HAIL_VERSION=$(cat env/HAIL_VERSION)
       RESULTS_PREFIX="gs://${BUCKET}/{{ scope }}/${HAIL_VERSION}"
 
       export HAIL_BATCH_REGIONS={{ global.gcp_region }}
diff --git a/ci/test/resources/build.yaml b/ci/test/resources/build.yaml
index 9f46a939053..d25d6a9718d 100644
--- a/ci/test/resources/build.yaml
+++ b/ci/test/resources/build.yaml
@@ -28,16 +28,9 @@ steps:
       cd repo
       {{ code.checkout_script }}
       make -C hail python-version-info
-      git rev-parse HEAD > git_version
     outputs:
       - from: /io/repo/
         to: /repo
-      - from: /io/repo/hail/python/hail/hail_version
-        to: /hail_version
-      - from: /io/repo/hail/python/hail/hail_pip_version
-        to: /hail_pip_version
-      - from: /io/repo/git_version
-        to: /git_version
     dependsOn:
       - git_make_bash_image
   - kind: buildImage2
@@ -142,8 +135,6 @@ steps:
         to: /io/repo/hail/python/MANIFEST.in
       - from: /repo/hail/python/hailtop
         to: /io/repo/hail/python/hailtop
-      - from: /hail_version
-        to: /io/repo/hail_version
       - from: /repo/gear
         to: /io/repo/gear
   - kind: buildImage2
diff --git a/dev-docs/releasing.md b/dev-docs/releasing.md
index f26a4c8c816..450c16253dc 100644
--- a/dev-docs/releasing.md
+++ b/dev-docs/releasing.md
@@ -34,9 +34,6 @@ hail-ci-bpk3h bucket. The necessary files are listed under "Sources: " in the "I
 "release" build step. They should look something like:
 
     Sources:
-      gs://hail-ci-bpk3h/build/9cabeeb4ba047d1722e6f8da0383ab97/hail_version: 1 files, 21 Bytes
-      gs://hail-ci-bpk3h/build/9cabeeb4ba047d1722e6f8da0383ab97/hail_pip_version: 1 files, 8 Bytes
-      gs://hail-ci-bpk3h/build/9cabeeb4ba047d1722e6f8da0383ab97/git_version: 1 files, 41 Bytes
       gs://hail-ci-bpk3h/build/9cabeeb4ba047d1722e6f8da0383ab97/repo: 6272 files, 205.1 MB
       gs://hail-ci-bpk3h/build/9cabeeb4ba047d1722e6f8da0383ab97/azure-wheel: 1 files, 144.5 MB
       gs://hail-ci-bpk3h/build/9cabeeb4ba047d1722e6f8da0383ab97/www.tar.gz: 1 files, 43.5 MB
@@ -47,14 +44,12 @@ Download all these files except the repo (which you do not need, because you che
     mkdir $BUILD_TOKEN
 	RELEASE_ARTIFACTS_DIR=$(realpath $BUILD_TOKEN)
     gcloud storage cp -r \
-      gs://hail-ci-bpk3h/build/$BUILD_TOKEN/hail_version \
-      gs://hail-ci-bpk3h/build/$BUILD_TOKEN/hail_pip_version \
-      gs://hail-ci-bpk3h/build/$BUILD_TOKEN/git_version \
+      gs://hail-ci-bpk3h/build/$BUILD_TOKEN/repo/hail/env \
       gs://hail-ci-bpk3h/build/$BUILD_TOKEN/azure-wheel \
       gs://hail-ci-bpk3h/build/$BUILD_TOKEN/www.tar.gz \
-      $BUILD_TOKEN
+      $RELEASE_ARTIFACTS_DIR
 
-Note that the `-r` is necessary because some of these things like `azure-wheel` are folders.
+Note that the `-r` is necessary because some of these things like `env` and `azure-wheel` are folders.
 
 Next we need to authenticate with DockerHub. Download the secret and authenticate skopeo with
 it. `download-secret` is a function stored in `devbin/functions.sh`.
@@ -88,9 +83,9 @@ Ensure you have returned to the `hail` sub-folder of the Hail git repository.
 Now we can construct a `release.sh` invocation. Find the invocation in the "command" part of the
 "Job Specification" table. It should look like:
 
-    bash scripts/release.sh $(cat /io/hail_pip_version) \
-                            $(cat /io/hail_version) \
-                            $(cat /io/git_version) \
+    bash scripts/release.sh $(cat $RELEASE_ARTIFACTS_DIR/HAIL_PIP_VERSION) \
+                            $(cat $RELEASE_ARTIFACTS_DIR/HAIL_VERSION) \
+                            $(cat $RELEASE_ARTIFACTS_DIR/REVISION) \
                             origin \
                             /io/repo/hail/build/deploy/dist/hail-*-py3-none-any.whl \
                             /io/github-oauth \
@@ -112,9 +107,9 @@ We need to make two replacements:
 It should look something like this:
 
     bash scripts/release.sh \
-        $(cat $RELEASE_ARTIFACTS_DIR/hail_pip_version) \
-        $(cat $RELEASE_ARTIFACTS_DIR/hail_version) \
-        $(cat $RELEASE_ARTIFACTS_DIR/git_version) \
+        $(cat $RELEASE_ARTIFACTS_DIR/HAIL_PIP_VERSION) \
+        $(cat $RELEASE_ARTIFACTS_DIR/HAIL_VERSION) \
+        $(cat $RELEASE_ARTIFACTS_DIR/REVISION) \
         origin \
         /PATH/TO/DOWNLOADED/HAIL-COMMON/WHEEL/hail-0.2.XXX-py3-none-any.whl \
         $RELEASE_ARTIFACTS_DIR/github-oauth \
diff --git a/dev-docs/services/tls-cookbook.md b/dev-docs/services/tls-cookbook.md
index 0b6070bf065..f14943d2e08 100644
--- a/dev-docs/services/tls-cookbook.md
+++ b/dev-docs/services/tls-cookbook.md
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ kubectl create secret generic \
 3. Update all the service certificates:
 
 ```
-make -C $HAIL/hail python/hailtop/hail_version
+make -C $HAIL/hail python/hailtop/version.py
 
 PYTHONPATH=$HAIL/hail/python \
         python3 $HAIL/tls/create_certs.py \
diff --git a/docker/hailgenetics/Makefile b/docker/hailgenetics/Makefile
index f839e2af3be..97cff8c8d3d 100644
--- a/docker/hailgenetics/Makefile
+++ b/docker/hailgenetics/Makefile
@@ -7,5 +7,5 @@ publish-python-dill:
 
 mirror-dockerhub-images:
 	DOCKER_PREFIX=$(DOCKER_PREFIX) \
-	HAIL_PIP_VERSION=$(shell cat ../../hail/python/hail/hail_pip_version) \
+	HAIL_PIP_VERSION=$(shell cat ../../hail/env/HAIL_PIP_VERSION) \
 	./mirror_images.sh
diff --git a/docker/hailgenetics/hailtop/Dockerfile b/docker/hailgenetics/hailtop/Dockerfile
index 19156bd72cf..e2f82873776 100644
--- a/docker/hailgenetics/hailtop/Dockerfile
+++ b/docker/hailgenetics/hailtop/Dockerfile
@@ -6,5 +6,4 @@ RUN hail-pip-install -r requirements.txt
 COPY hail/python/setup-hailtop.py /hailtop/setup.py
 COPY hail/python/MANIFEST.in /hailtop/MANIFEST.in
 COPY hail/python/hailtop /hailtop/hailtop/
-COPY /hail_version /hailtop/hailtop/hail_version
 RUN hail-pip-install /hailtop
diff --git a/hail/.gitignore b/hail/.gitignore
index 506cc43dd2c..79152b40574 100644
--- a/hail/.gitignore
+++ b/hail/.gitignore
@@ -3,13 +3,10 @@ python/README.md
 python/dist
 python/hail.egg-info
 python/hail/backend/hail-all-spark.jar
-python/hail/hail_revision
-python/hail/hail_pip_version
+python/hail/version.py
 python/hail/docs/change_log.rst
 python/hail/docs/_build/*
 python/hail/docs/_static/hail_version.js
-python/hailtop/dist
-python/hailtop/hailctl/deploy.yaml
 python/hail/docs/genetics/hail.genetics.AlleleType.rst
 python/hail/docs/genetics/hail.genetics.Call.rst
 python/hail/docs/genetics/hail.genetics.Locus.rst
@@ -67,6 +64,9 @@ python/hail/docs/vds/hail.vds.local_to_global.rst
 python/hail/docs/vds/hail.vds.merge_reference_blocks.rst
 python/hail/docs/vds/hail.vds.truncate_reference_blocks.rst
 python/hail/docs/tutorials/iframe_figures/
+python/hailtop/hailctl/deploy.yaml
+python/hailtop/dist
+python/hailtop/version.py
 src/main/c/.cxx.vsn
 src/main/c/headers
 src/main/c/lib
diff --git a/hail/Makefile b/hail/Makefile
index 17a616d9e22..1634481c6eb 100644
--- a/hail/Makefile
+++ b/hail/Makefile
@@ -1,7 +1,25 @@
 HAIL_HAIL_DIR := $(shell dirname $(realpath $(firstword $(MAKEFILE_LIST))))
 
+REVISION := $(shell git rev-parse HEAD)
+ifndef REVISION
+$(error "git rev-parse HEAD" failed to produce output)
+endif
+
+SHORT_REVISION := $(shell git rev-parse --short=12 HEAD)
+ifndef SHORT_REVISION
+$(error "git rev-parse --short=12 HEAD" failed to produce output)
+endif
+
+HAIL_MAJOR_MINOR_VERSION := 0.2
+HAIL_PATCH_VERSION := 133
+HAIL_PIP_VERSION := $(HAIL_MAJOR_MINOR_VERSION).$(HAIL_PATCH_VERSION)
+HAIL_VERSION := $(HAIL_PIP_VERSION)-$(SHORT_REVISION)
+
+SCALA_VERSION ?= 2.12.18
+SPARK_VERSION ?= 3.5.0
+
+
 include env_var.mk
-include version.mk
 
 .DEFAULT_GOAL := shadowJar
 MAKEFLAGS += --no-builtin-rules
@@ -9,11 +27,10 @@ MAKEFLAGS += --no-builtin-rules
 
 $(eval $(call ENV_VAR,REVISION))
 $(eval $(call ENV_VAR,SHORT_REVISION))
-$(eval $(call ENV_VAR,BRANCH))
-$(eval $(call ENV_VAR,SPARK_VERSION))
 $(eval $(call ENV_VAR,HAIL_PIP_VERSION))
-$(eval $(call ENV_VAR,HAIL_DEBUG_MODE))
-$(eval $(call ENV_VAR,ELASTIC_MAJOR_VERSION))
+$(eval $(call ENV_VAR,HAIL_VERSION))
+
+$(eval $(call ENV_VAR,SPARK_VERSION))
 
 HAIL_PYTHON3 ?= python3
 PIP ?= $(HAIL_PYTHON3) -m pip
@@ -30,11 +47,6 @@ PYTEST_INTER_CLOUD_TARGET ?= test/hailtop/inter_cloud
 PY_FILES := $(shell git ls-files python)
 
 INIT_SCRIPTS := python/hailtop/hailctl/deploy.yaml
-PYTHON_VERSION_INFO := python/hail/hail_revision
-PYTHON_VERSION_INFO += python/hail/hail_version
-PYTHON_VERSION_INFO += python/hail/hail_pip_version
-PYTHON_VERSION_INFO += python/hailtop/hail_version
-PYTHON_VERSION_INFO += python/hail/docs/_static/hail_version.js
 
 PYTHON_JAR := python/hail/backend/hail-all-spark.jar
 FAST_PYTHON_JAR := python/hail/backend/hail.jar
@@ -125,24 +137,31 @@ fs-jvm-test: upload-remote-test-resources
 .PHONY: jars
 jars: shadowJar shadowTestJar
 
-.PHONY: python-version-info
-python-version-info: $(PYTHON_VERSION_INFO)
-
-python/hail/hail_revision: env/REVISION
-	echo $(REVISION) > $@
-
-python/hail/hail_version: env/SHORT_REVISION env/HAIL_PIP_VERSION
-	echo $(HAIL_VERSION) > $@
+PYTHON_VERSION_INFO := \
+	python/hail/version.py \
+	python/hail/docs/_static/hail_version.js \
+	python/hailtop/version.py
 
-python/hail/hail_pip_version: env/HAIL_PIP_VERSION
-	echo $(HAIL_PIP_VERSION) > $@
+$(PYTHON_VERSION_INFO): env/HAIL_VERSION env/HAIL_PIP_VERSION env/REVISION env/SHORT_REVISION
 
-python/hail/docs/_static/hail_version.js: python/hail/hail_version python/hail/hail_pip_version
-	printf 'hail_version="$(shell cat python/hail/hail_version)";' > $@
-	printf 'hail_pip_version="$(shell cat python/hail/hail_pip_version)"' >> $@
+.PHONY: python-version-info
+python-version-info: $(PYTHON_VERSION_INFO)
 
-python/hailtop/hail_version: python/hail/hail_version
-	cp -f $< $@
+.ONESHELL: $(PYTHON_VERSION_INFO)
+python/hail/version.py python/hailtop/version.py:
+	cat <<- EOF > $@
+		# Generated by make on $(shell date).
+		__pip_version__ = "$(HAIL_PIP_VERSION)"
+		__revision__ = "$(REVISION)"
+		__version__ = "$(HAIL_VERSION)"
+	EOF
+
+python/hail/docs/_static/hail_version.js:
+	cat <<- EOF > $@
+		# Generated by make on $(shell date).
+		hail_pip_version = "$(HAIL_PIP_VERSION)";
+		hail_version = "$(HAIL_VERSION)";
+	EOF
 
 python/README.md: ../README.md
 	cp ../README.md python/
diff --git a/hail/python/MANIFEST.in b/hail/python/MANIFEST.in
index aa401baf489..468c769a59f 100644
--- a/hail/python/MANIFEST.in
+++ b/hail/python/MANIFEST.in
@@ -1,8 +1,5 @@
-include hail/hail_pip_version
-include hail/hail_version
 include hail/experimental/datasets.json
 include hail/backend/hail-all-spark.jar
-include hailtop/hail_version
 include hailtop/hailctl/deploy.yaml
 include hailtop/py.typed
 include requirements.txt
diff --git a/hail/python/hail/__init__.py b/hail/python/hail/__init__.py
index 7b6fffba8b5..a6a2de9acc9 100644
--- a/hail/python/hail/__init__.py
+++ b/hail/python/hail/__init__.py
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 import importlib.resources
 from pathlib import Path
 from sys import version_info
-from typing import Optional
 
 if version_info < (3, 9):
     raise EnvironmentError(f'Hail requires Python 3.9 or later, found {version_info.major}.{version_info.minor}')
@@ -90,7 +89,6 @@ def __resource_str(name: str) -> str:
     spark_context,
     stop,
     tmp_dir,
-    version,
 )
 from .expr import *  # noqa: F403
 from .expr import aggregators
@@ -98,11 +96,20 @@ def __resource_str(name: str) -> str:
 from .matrixtable import GroupedMatrixTable, MatrixTable
 from .methods import *  # noqa: F403
 from .table import GroupedTable, Table, asc, desc
+from .version import __pip_version__, __revision__, __version__
 
 agg = aggregators
 scan = aggregators.aggregators.ScanFunctions({name: getattr(agg, name) for name in agg.__all__})
 
+
+def version() -> str:
+    return __version__
+
+
 __all__ = [
+    '__pip_version__',
+    '__revision__',
+    '__version__',
     'init',
     'init_local',
     'init_batch',
@@ -172,10 +179,6 @@ def __resource_str(name: str) -> str:
 ir.register_functions()
 ir.register_aggregators()
 
-__pip_version__ = __resource_str('hail_pip_version').strip()
-__version__: Optional[str] = None  # set by hail.version()
-__revision__: Optional[str] = None  # set by hail.revision()
-
 import warnings
 
 warnings.filterwarnings('once', append=True)
diff --git a/hail/python/hail/backend/py4j_backend.py b/hail/python/hail/backend/py4j_backend.py
index b9f986e5834..03bc9be5dfe 100644
--- a/hail/python/hail/backend/py4j_backend.py
+++ b/hail/python/hail/backend/py4j_backend.py
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 from hail.expr import construct_expr
 from hail.ir import JavaIR
 from hail.utils.java import Env, FatalError, scala_package_object
+from hail.version import __version__
 
 from ..hail_logging import Logger
 from .backend import ActionTag, Backend, fatal_error_from_java_error_triplet
@@ -197,15 +198,13 @@ def decode_bytearray(encoded):
         # This has to go after creating the SparkSession. Unclear why.
         # Maybe it does its own patch?
         install_exception_handler()
-        from hail.context import version
 
-        py_version = version()
         jar_version = self._jhc.version()
-        if jar_version != py_version:
+        if jar_version != __version__:
             raise RuntimeError(
                 f"Hail version mismatch between JAR and Python library\n"
                 f"  JAR:    {jar_version}\n"
-                f"  Python: {py_version}"
+                f"  Python: {__version__}"
             )
 
     def jvm(self):
diff --git a/hail/python/hail/backend/service_backend.py b/hail/python/hail/backend/service_backend.py
index 5a5a2457173..953ce749b05 100644
--- a/hail/python/hail/backend/service_backend.py
+++ b/hail/python/hail/backend/service_backend.py
@@ -10,13 +10,14 @@
 import orjson
 
 import hailtop.aiotools.fs as afs
-from hail.context import TemporaryDirectory, TemporaryFilename, revision, tmp_dir, version
+from hail.context import TemporaryDirectory, TemporaryFilename, tmp_dir
 from hail.experimental import read_expression, write_expression
 from hail.expr.expressions.base_expression import Expression
 from hail.expr.types import HailType
 from hail.ir import finalize_randomness
 from hail.ir.renderer import CSERenderer
 from hail.utils import FatalError
+from hail.version import __revision__, __version__
 from hailtop import yamlx
 from hailtop.aiocloud.aiogoogle import GCSRequesterPaysConfiguration, get_gcs_requester_pays_configuration
 from hailtop.aiotools.fs.exceptions import UnexpectedEOFError
@@ -201,7 +202,7 @@ async def create(
 
         name_prefix = configuration_of(ConfigVariable.QUERY_NAME_PREFIX, name_prefix, '')
         batch_attributes: Dict[str, str] = {
-            'hail-version': version(),
+            'hail-version': __version__,
         }
         if name_prefix:
             batch_attributes['name'] = name_prefix
@@ -325,7 +326,7 @@ def fs(self) -> FS:
 
     @property
     def jar_spec(self) -> dict:
-        return {'type': 'git_revision', 'value': revision()}
+        return {'type': 'git_revision', 'value': __revision__}
 
     @property
     def logger(self):
diff --git a/hail/python/hail/context.py b/hail/python/hail/context.py
index 77493ecd083..6c96599a24b 100644
--- a/hail/python/hail/context.py
+++ b/hail/python/hail/context.py
@@ -15,12 +15,12 @@
 from hail.typecheck import dictof, enumeration, nullable, oneof, sequenceof, sized_tupleof, typecheck, typecheck_method
 from hail.utils import get_env_or_default
 from hail.utils.java import BackendType, Env, choose_backend, warning
+from hail.version import __version__
 from hailtop.aiocloud.aiogoogle import GCSRequesterPaysConfiguration, get_gcs_requester_pays_configuration
 from hailtop.fs.fs import FS
 from hailtop.hail_event_loop import hail_event_loop
 from hailtop.utils import secret_alnum_string
 
-from . import __resource_str
 from .backend.backend import local_jar_information
 from .builtin_references import BUILTIN_REFERENCES
 
@@ -43,11 +43,10 @@ def _get_local_tmpdir(local_tmpdir):
 
 def _get_log(log):
     if log is None:
-        py_version = version()
         log_dir = os.environ.get('HAIL_LOG_DIR')
         if log_dir is None:
             log_dir = os.getcwd()
-        log = hail.utils.timestamp_path(os.path.join(log_dir, 'hail'), suffix=f'-{py_version}.log')
+        log = hail.utils.timestamp_path(os.path.join(log_dir, 'hail'), suffix=f'-{__version__}.log')
     return log
 
 
@@ -104,16 +103,15 @@ def __init__(self, log, quiet, append, tmpdir, local_tmpdir, global_seed, backen
         self._default_ref: Optional[ReferenceGenome] = None
 
         if not quiet:
-            py_version = version()
             sys.stderr.write(
                 'Welcome to\n'
                 '     __  __     <>__\n'
                 '    / /_/ /__  __/ /\n'
                 '   / __  / _ `/ / /\n'
-                '  /_/ /_/\\_,_/_/_/   version {}\n'.format(py_version)
+                '  /_/ /_/\\_,_/_/_/   version {}\n'.format(__version__)
             )
 
-            if py_version.startswith('devel'):
+            if __version__.startswith('devel'):
                 sys.stderr.write(
                     'NOTE: This is a beta version. Interfaces may change\n'
                     '  during the beta period. We recommend pulling\n'
@@ -633,35 +631,8 @@ def init_local(
         connect_logger(backend._utils_package_object, 'localhost', 12888)
 
 
-def version() -> str:
-    """Get the installed Hail version.
-
-    Returns
-    -------
-    str
-    """
-    if hail.__version__ is None:
-        hail.__version__ = __resource_str('hail_version').strip()
-
-    return hail.__version__
-
-
-def revision() -> str:
-    """Get the installed Hail git revision.
-
-    Returns
-    -------
-    str
-    """
-    if hail.__revision__ is None:
-        hail.__revision__ = __resource_str('hail_revision').strip()
-
-    return hail.__revision__
-
-
 def _hail_cite_url():
-    v = version()
-    [tag, sha_prefix] = v.split("-")
+    [tag, sha_prefix] = __version__.split("-")
     if not local_jar_information().development_mode:
         # pip installed
         return f"https://github.com/hail-is/hail/releases/tag/{tag}"
@@ -688,7 +659,7 @@ def citation(*, bibtex=False):
             f"  howpublished = {{\\url{{{_hail_cite_url()}}}}}"
             f"}}"
         )
-    return f"Hail Team. Hail {version()}. {_hail_cite_url()}."
+    return f"Hail Team. Hail {__version__}. {_hail_cite_url()}."
 
 
 def cite_hail():
@@ -965,4 +936,4 @@ def debug_info():
     spark_conf = None
     if isinstance(Env.backend(), SparkBackend):
         spark_conf = spark_context()._conf.getAll()
-    return {'spark_conf': spark_conf, 'local_jar_information': local_jar_information(), 'version': version()}
+    return {'spark_conf': spark_conf, 'local_jar_information': local_jar_information(), 'version': __version__}
diff --git a/hail/python/hail/docs/conf.py b/hail/python/hail/docs/conf.py
index a7bfbf2c136..5760713c0bc 100644
--- a/hail/python/hail/docs/conf.py
+++ b/hail/python/hail/docs/conf.py
@@ -19,8 +19,17 @@
 
 import datetime
 import os
-import re
 import sys
+from importlib.util import module_from_spec, spec_from_file_location
+
+
+def __load_module(name, path):
+    spec = spec_from_file_location(name, path)
+    mod = module_from_spec(spec)
+    sys.modules[name] = mod
+    spec.loader.exec_module(mod)
+    return mod
+
 
 sys.path.insert(0, os.path.abspath('./_ext'))
 
@@ -106,9 +115,9 @@
 # built documents.
 #
 # The full version, including alpha/beta/rc tags.
-with open('../hail_version') as f:
-    release = f.read().strip()
-    version = re.match('[0-9]+.[0-9]+', release)[0]
+mod = __load_module('hail.version', '../version.py')
+release = mod.__version__
+version = mod.__pip_version__
 
 # The language for content autogenerated by Sphinx. Refer to documentation
 # for a list of supported languages.
diff --git a/hail/python/hail/methods/qc.py b/hail/python/hail/methods/qc.py
index 2efd7b37944..338937c3fba 100644
--- a/hail/python/hail/methods/qc.py
+++ b/hail/python/hail/methods/qc.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 from hail.utils import FatalError
 from hail.utils.java import Env, info, warning
 from hail.utils.misc import divide_null, guess_cloud_spark_provider, new_temp_file
-from hailtop import pip_version, yamlx
+from hailtop import __pip_version__, yamlx
 from hailtop.config import get_deploy_config
 from hailtop.utils import async_to_blocking
 
@@ -36,10 +36,10 @@
 
 
 HAIL_GENETICS_VEP_GRCH37_85_IMAGE = os.environ.get(
-    'HAIL_GENETICS_VEP_GRCH37_85_IMAGE', f'hailgenetics/vep-grch37-85:{pip_version()}'
+    'HAIL_GENETICS_VEP_GRCH37_85_IMAGE', f'hailgenetics/vep-grch37-85:{__pip_version__}'
 )
 HAIL_GENETICS_VEP_GRCH38_95_IMAGE = os.environ.get(
-    'HAIL_GENETICS_VEP_GRCH38_95_IMAGE', f'hailgenetics/vep-grch38-95:{pip_version()}'
+    'HAIL_GENETICS_VEP_GRCH38_95_IMAGE', f'hailgenetics/vep-grch38-95:{__pip_version__}'
 )
 
 
diff --git a/hail/python/hailtop/__init__.py b/hail/python/hailtop/__init__.py
index 9ee2e7a1b54..32f5c569bbb 100644
--- a/hail/python/hailtop/__init__.py
+++ b/hail/python/hailtop/__init__.py
@@ -1,19 +1,4 @@
-_VERSION = None
-
-
-def version() -> str:
-    global _VERSION
-    if _VERSION is None:
-        import importlib.resources as r  # pylint: disable=import-outside-toplevel
-
-        _VERSION = (r.files(__name__) / 'hail_version').read_text('utf-8').strip()
-
-    return _VERSION
-
-
-def pip_version() -> str:
-    return version().split('-')[0]
-
+from hailtop.version import __pip_version__, __version__
 
 IS_NOTEBOOK = None
 
@@ -28,3 +13,10 @@ def is_notebook() -> bool:
         except (NameError, ModuleNotFoundError):
             IS_NOTEBOOK = False
     return IS_NOTEBOOK
+
+
+__all__ = [
+    '__pip_version__',
+    '__version__',
+    'is_notebook',
+]
diff --git a/hail/python/hailtop/batch/backend.py b/hail/python/hailtop/batch/backend.py
index ddf65f58692..8686fdb93b1 100644
--- a/hail/python/hailtop/batch/backend.py
+++ b/hail/python/hailtop/batch/backend.py
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 from rich.progress import track
 
 import hailtop.batch_client.client as bc
-from hailtop import pip_version
+from hailtop import __pip_version__
 from hailtop.aiocloud.aiogoogle import GCSRequesterPaysConfiguration
 from hailtop.aiotools.router_fs import RouterAsyncFS
 from hailtop.aiotools.validators import validate_file
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
 from .globals import DEFAULT_SHELL
 from .job import PythonJob
 
-HAIL_GENETICS_HAILTOP_IMAGE = os.environ.get('HAIL_GENETICS_HAILTOP_IMAGE', f'hailgenetics/hailtop:{pip_version()}')
+HAIL_GENETICS_HAILTOP_IMAGE = os.environ.get('HAIL_GENETICS_HAILTOP_IMAGE', f'hailgenetics/hailtop:{__pip_version__}')
 HAIL_GENETICS_HAIL_IMAGE = (
     os.environ.get('HAIL_GENETICS_HAIL_IMAGE') or hailgenetics_hail_image_for_current_python_version()
 )
diff --git a/hail/python/hailtop/batch/hail_genetics_images.py b/hail/python/hailtop/batch/hail_genetics_images.py
index c5f8b7882aa..97249edf615 100644
--- a/hail/python/hailtop/batch/hail_genetics_images.py
+++ b/hail/python/hailtop/batch/hail_genetics_images.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import sys
 
-from hailtop import pip_version
+from hailtop import __pip_version__
 
 HAIL_GENETICS = 'hailgenetics/'
 HAIL_GENETICS_IMAGES = [
@@ -16,5 +16,5 @@ def hailgenetics_hail_image_for_current_python_version():
             f'using a Python version other than 3.9, 3.10, or 3.11 (you are using {version})'
         )
     if version.minor == 9:
-        return f'hailgenetics/hail:{pip_version()}'
-    return f'hailgenetics/hail:{pip_version()}-py{version.major}.{version.minor}'
+        return f'hailgenetics/hail:{__pip_version__}'
+    return f'hailgenetics/hail:{__pip_version__}-py{version.major}.{version.minor}'
diff --git a/hail/python/hailtop/hailctl/__main__.py b/hail/python/hailtop/hailctl/__main__.py
index 98e80043868..19695b52557 100644
--- a/hail/python/hailtop/hailctl/__main__.py
+++ b/hail/python/hailtop/hailctl/__main__.py
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ def version():
     """Print version information and exit."""
     import hailtop  # pylint: disable=import-outside-toplevel
 
-    print(hailtop.version())
+    print(hailtop.__version__)
 
 
 @app.command(context_settings={"allow_extra_args": True, "ignore_unknown_options": True})
diff --git a/hail/python/hailtop/hailctl/batch/submit.py b/hail/python/hailtop/hailctl/batch/submit.py
index 196b844ab23..234ec62ac52 100644
--- a/hail/python/hailtop/hailctl/batch/submit.py
+++ b/hail/python/hailtop/hailctl/batch/submit.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 
 import orjson
 
-from hailtop import pip_version
+from hailtop import __pip_version__
 
 FILE_REGEX = re.compile(r'(?P<src>[^:]+)(:(?P<dest>.+))?')
 
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ def file_input_to_src_dest(file: str) -> Tuple[str, str, str]:
     backend = hb.ServiceBackend()
     b = hb.Batch(name=name, backend=backend)
     j = b.new_bash_job()
-    j.image(image_name or os.environ.get('HAIL_GENETICS_HAIL_IMAGE', f'hailgenetics/hail:{pip_version()}'))
+    j.image(image_name or os.environ.get('HAIL_GENETICS_HAIL_IMAGE', f'hailgenetics/hail:{__pip_version__}'))
 
     local_files_to_cloud_files = []
 
diff --git a/hail/python/hailtop/hailctl/hdinsight/cli.py b/hail/python/hailtop/hailctl/hdinsight/cli.py
index 3ad7ae6f3e9..255c9019d81 100644
--- a/hail/python/hailtop/hailctl/hdinsight/cli.py
+++ b/hail/python/hailtop/hailctl/hdinsight/cli.py
@@ -79,12 +79,10 @@ def start(
     """
     Start an HDInsight cluster configured for Hail.
     """
-    from ... import pip_version  # pylint: disable=import-outside-toplevel
-
-    hail_version = pip_version()
+    from ... import __pip_version__  # pylint: disable=import-outside-toplevel
 
     def default_artifact(filename: str) -> str:
-        return f'https://raw.githubusercontent.com/hail-is/hail/{hail_version}/hail/python/hailtop/hailctl/hdinsight/resources/{filename}'
+        return f'https://raw.githubusercontent.com/hail-is/hail/{__pip_version__}/hail/python/hailtop/hailctl/hdinsight/resources/{filename}'
 
     hdinsight_start(
         cluster_name,
@@ -97,7 +95,7 @@ def default_artifact(filename: str) -> str:
         install_hail_uri or default_artifact('install-hail.sh'),
         install_native_deps_uri or default_artifact('install-native-deps.sh'),
         wheel_uri
-        or f'https://storage.googleapis.com/hail-common/azure-hdinsight-wheels/hail-{hail_version}-py3-none-any.whl',
+        or f'https://storage.googleapis.com/hail-common/azure-hdinsight-wheels/hail-{__pip_version__}-py3-none-any.whl',
         vep,
         vep_loftee_uri,
         vep_homo_sapiens_uri,
diff --git a/hail/python/hailtop/hailctl/hdinsight/start.py b/hail/python/hailtop/hailctl/hdinsight/start.py
index f2e2fa9ec83..335160144b0 100644
--- a/hail/python/hailtop/hailctl/hdinsight/start.py
+++ b/hail/python/hailtop/hailctl/hdinsight/start.py
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ def start(
     import requests  # pylint: disable=import-outside-toplevel
     import requests.auth  # pylint: disable=import-outside-toplevel
 
-    from ... import pip_version  # pylint: disable=import-outside-toplevel
+    from ... import __pip_version__  # pylint: disable=import-outside-toplevel
     from ...utils import secret_alnum_string  # pylint: disable=import-outside-toplevel
 
     print(f'Starting the cluster {cluster_name}')
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ def start(
             sys.exit(1)
 
         if vep_config_uri is None:
-            vep_config_uri = f'https://raw.githubusercontent.com/hail-is/hail/{pip_version()}/hail/python/hailtop/hailctl/hdinsight/resources/vep-{vep}.json'
+            vep_config_uri = f'https://raw.githubusercontent.com/hail-is/hail/{__pip_version__}/hail/python/hailtop/hailctl/hdinsight/resources/vep-{vep}.json'
 
         if vep_loftee_uri is None or vep_homo_sapiens_uri is None:
             raise ValueError("Both `vep_loftee_uri` and `vep_homo_sapiens_uri` must be specified if `vep` is specified")
diff --git a/hail/python/setup-hailtop.py b/hail/python/setup-hailtop.py
index 3a59a9b4f29..f98cd35a882 100644
--- a/hail/python/setup-hailtop.py
+++ b/hail/python/setup-hailtop.py
@@ -1,10 +1,22 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+
+import sys
+from importlib.util import module_from_spec, spec_from_file_location
 
 from setuptools import find_packages, setup
 
+
+def load_module(name, path):
+    spec = spec_from_file_location(name, path)
+    mod = module_from_spec(spec)
+    sys.modules[name] = mod
+    spec.loader.exec_module(mod)
+    return mod
+
+
 setup(
     name='hailtop',
-    version="0.0.1",
+    version=load_module('version', 'hailtop/version.py').__pip_version__,
     author="Hail Team",
     author_email="hail@broadinstitute.org",
     description="Top level Hail module.",
@@ -15,7 +27,7 @@
     },
     packages=find_packages('.'),
     package_dir={'hailtop': 'hailtop'},
-    package_data={"hailtop": ["py.typed", "hail_version"], 'hailtop.hailctl': ['hail_version', 'deploy.yaml']},
+    package_data={"hailtop": ["py.typed"], 'hailtop.hailctl': ['deploy.yaml']},
     classifiers=[
         "Programming Language :: Python :: 3",
         "License :: OSI Approved :: MIT License",
diff --git a/hail/python/setup.py b/hail/python/setup.py
index ded40cb8d31..1d43379c3ac 100755
--- a/hail/python/setup.py
+++ b/hail/python/setup.py
@@ -1,15 +1,23 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 
 import os
+import sys
+from importlib.util import module_from_spec, spec_from_file_location
 
 from setuptools import find_packages, setup
 
-with open('hail/hail_pip_version') as f:
-    hail_pip_version = f.read().strip()
-
 with open("README.md", "r") as fh:
     long_description = fh.read()
 
+
+def load_module(name, path):
+    spec = spec_from_file_location(name, path)
+    mod = module_from_spec(spec)
+    sys.modules[name] = mod
+    spec.loader.exec_module(mod)
+    return mod
+
+
 dependencies = []
 with open('requirements.txt', 'r') as f:
     for line in f:
@@ -46,7 +54,7 @@ def add_dependencies(fname):
 
 setup(
     name="hail",
-    version=hail_pip_version,
+    version=load_module('version', 'hail/version.py').__pip_version__,
     author="Hail Team",
     author_email="hail@broadinstitute.org",
     description="Scalable library for exploring and analyzing genomic data.",
@@ -61,10 +69,10 @@ def add_dependencies(fname):
     packages=find_packages('.'),
     package_dir={'hail': 'hail', 'hailtop': 'hailtop'},
     package_data={
-        'hail': ['hail_pip_version', 'hail_version', 'hail_revision', 'experimental/datasets.json'],
+        'hail': ['experimental/datasets.json'],
         'hail.backend': ['hail-all-spark.jar'],
-        'hailtop': ['hail_version', 'py.typed'],
-        'hailtop.hailctl': ['hail_version', 'deploy.yaml'],
+        'hailtop': ['py.typed'],
+        'hailtop.hailctl': ['deploy.yaml'],
     },
     classifiers=[
         "Programming Language :: Python :: 3",
diff --git a/hail/python/test/hailtop/batch/test_batch_local_backend.py b/hail/python/test/hailtop/batch/test_batch_local_backend.py
index 15e256a6dc8..e96a2cb46b0 100644
--- a/hail/python/test/hailtop/batch/test_batch_local_backend.py
+++ b/hail/python/test/hailtop/batch/test_batch_local_backend.py
@@ -7,14 +7,14 @@
 
 import pytest
 
-from hailtop import pip_version
+from hailtop import __pip_version__
 from hailtop.batch import Batch, LocalBackend, ResourceGroup
 from hailtop.batch.resource import JobResourceFile
 from hailtop.batch.utils import concatenate
 
 DOCKER_ROOT_IMAGE = os.environ.get('DOCKER_ROOT_IMAGE', 'ubuntu:22.04')
 PYTHON_DILL_IMAGE = 'hailgenetics/python-dill:3.9-slim'
-HAIL_GENETICS_HAIL_IMAGE = os.environ.get('HAIL_GENETICS_HAIL_IMAGE', f'hailgenetics/hail:{pip_version()}')
+HAIL_GENETICS_HAIL_IMAGE = os.environ.get('HAIL_GENETICS_HAIL_IMAGE', f'hailgenetics/hail:{__pip_version__}')
 REQUESTER_PAYS_PROJECT = os.environ.get('GCS_REQUESTER_PAYS_PROJECT')
 
 
diff --git a/hail/python/test/hailtop/batch/utils.py b/hail/python/test/hailtop/batch/utils.py
index 4915962f9c5..928e04f9c17 100644
--- a/hail/python/test/hailtop/batch/utils.py
+++ b/hail/python/test/hailtop/batch/utils.py
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 import inspect
 import os
 
-from hailtop import pip_version
+from hailtop import __pip_version__
 from hailtop.batch import Batch
 
 DOCKER_ROOT_IMAGE = os.environ.get('DOCKER_ROOT_IMAGE', 'ubuntu:22.04')
 PYTHON_DILL_IMAGE = 'hailgenetics/python-dill:3.9-slim'
-HAIL_GENETICS_HAIL_IMAGE = os.environ.get('HAIL_GENETICS_HAIL_IMAGE', f'hailgenetics/hail:{pip_version()}')
+HAIL_GENETICS_HAIL_IMAGE = os.environ.get('HAIL_GENETICS_HAIL_IMAGE', f'hailgenetics/hail:{__pip_version__}')
 REQUESTER_PAYS_PROJECT = os.environ.get('GCS_REQUESTER_PAYS_PROJECT')
 
 
diff --git a/hail/version.mk b/hail/version.mk
deleted file mode 100644
index 9754b7a2b4c..00000000000
--- a/hail/version.mk
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,22 +0,0 @@
-REVISION := $(shell git rev-parse HEAD)
-ifndef REVISION
-$(error "git rev-parse HEAD" failed to produce output)
-endif
-
-SHORT_REVISION := $(shell git rev-parse --short=12 HEAD)
-ifndef SHORT_REVISION
-$(error "git rev-parse --short=12 HEAD" failed to produce output)
-endif
-
-BRANCH := $(shell git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD)
-ifndef BRANCH
-$(error "git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD" failed to produce output)
-endif
-
-SCALA_VERSION ?= 2.12.18
-SPARK_VERSION ?= 3.5.0
-HAIL_MAJOR_MINOR_VERSION := 0.2
-HAIL_PATCH_VERSION := 133
-HAIL_PIP_VERSION := $(HAIL_MAJOR_MINOR_VERSION).$(HAIL_PATCH_VERSION)
-HAIL_VERSION := $(HAIL_PIP_VERSION)-$(SHORT_REVISION)
-ELASTIC_MAJOR_VERSION ?= 7
diff --git a/infra/bootstrap_utils.sh b/infra/bootstrap_utils.sh
index 14e2325d12e..c4808ac5f2c 100644
--- a/infra/bootstrap_utils.sh
+++ b/infra/bootstrap_utils.sh
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ source $HAIL/devbin/functions.sh
 copy_images() {
     make -C $HAIL/docker/third-party copy
 
-    make -C $HAIL/hail python/hail/hail_pip_version
+    make -C $HAIL/hail python/hail/version.py
     make -C $HAIL/docker/hailgenetics mirror-dockerhub-images
 }
 
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ generate_ssl_certs() {
 deploy_unmanaged() {
     export NAMESPACE=default
 
-    make -C $HAIL/hail python/hailtop/hail_version
+    make -C $HAIL/hail python/hailtop/version.py
 
     copy_images
     generate_ssl_certs