diff --git a/dist/version b/dist/version
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8b2e73123
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dist/version
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+1.15.11.1
diff --git a/tools/make-chromium-meta.py b/tools/make-chromium-meta.py
index 04990bfa7..f88dda0bf 100644
--- a/tools/make-chromium-meta.py
+++ b/tools/make-chromium-meta.py
@@ -9,24 +9,27 @@ if len(sys.argv) == 1 or not sys.argv[1]:
     raise SystemExit('Build dir missing.')
 
 proj_dir = os.path.join(os.path.split(os.path.abspath(__file__))[0], '..')
+build_dir = os.path.abspath(sys.argv[1])
 
-manifest_in = {}
-manifest_in_file = os.path.join(proj_dir, 'platform', 'chromium', 'manifest.json')
-with open(manifest_in_file) as f1:
-    manifest_in = json.load(f1)
+version = ''
+with open(os.path.join(proj_dir, 'dist', 'version')) as f:
+    version = f.read().strip()
+
+manifest_out = {}
+manifest_out_file = os.path.join(build_dir, 'manifest.json')
+with open(manifest_out_file) as f:
+    manifest_out = json.load(f)
+
+manifest_out['version'] = version
 
 # Development build? If so, modify name accordingly.
-match = re.search('^\d+\.\d+\.\d+\.\d+$', manifest_in['version'])
+match = re.search('^\d+\.\d+\.\d+\.\d+$', version)
 if match:
-    build_dir = os.path.abspath(sys.argv[1])
     dev_build = ' dev build'
-    manifest_out = {}
-    manifest_out_file = os.path.join(build_dir, 'manifest.json')
-    with open(manifest_out_file) as f2:
-        manifest_out = json.load(f2)
     manifest_out['name'] += dev_build
     manifest_out['short_name'] += dev_build
     manifest_out['browser_action']['default_title'] += dev_build
-    with open(manifest_out_file, 'w') as f2:
-        json.dump(manifest_out, f2, indent=2, separators=(',', ': '), sort_keys=True)
-        f2.write('\n')
+
+with open(manifest_out_file, 'w') as f:
+    json.dump(manifest_out, f, indent=2, separators=(',', ': '), sort_keys=True)
+    f.write('\n')
diff --git a/tools/make-firefox-meta.py b/tools/make-firefox-meta.py
index 875885fdb..8285e0943 100644
--- a/tools/make-firefox-meta.py
+++ b/tools/make-firefox-meta.py
@@ -61,15 +61,19 @@ rmtree(source_locale_dir)
 
 # update install.rdf
 proj_dir = pj(os.path.split(os.path.abspath(__file__))[0], '..')
-chromium_manifest = pj(proj_dir, 'platform', 'chromium', 'manifest.json')
 
+version = ''
+with open(os.path.join(proj_dir, 'dist', 'version')) as f:
+    version = f.read().strip()
+
+chromium_manifest = pj(proj_dir, 'platform', 'chromium', 'manifest.json')
 with open(chromium_manifest, encoding='utf-8') as m:
     manifest = json.load(m)
 
 # https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/Add-ons/AMO/Policy/Maintenance#How_do_I_submit_a_Beta_add-on.3F
 # "To create a beta channel [...] '(a|alpha|b|beta|pre|rc)\d*$' "
 
-match = re.search('^(\d+\.\d+\.\d+)(\.\d+)$', manifest['version'])
+match = re.search('^(\d+\.\d+\.\d+)(\.\d+)$', version)
 if match:
     buildtype = int(match.group(2)[1:])
     if buildtype < 100:
@@ -77,6 +81,8 @@ if match:
     else:
         builttype = 'rc' + str(buildtype - 100)
     manifest['version'] = match.group(1) + builttype
+else:
+    manifest['version'] = version
 
 manifest['homepage'] = 'https://github.com/gorhill/uBlock'
 manifest['description'] = descriptions['en']
diff --git a/tools/make-webext-meta.py b/tools/make-webext-meta.py
index b74b06e19..6fc340f4a 100644
--- a/tools/make-webext-meta.py
+++ b/tools/make-webext-meta.py
@@ -11,19 +11,16 @@ if len(sys.argv) == 1 or not sys.argv[1]:
 proj_dir = os.path.join(os.path.split(os.path.abspath(__file__))[0], '..')
 build_dir = os.path.abspath(sys.argv[1])
 
-# Import version number from chromium platform
-chromium_manifest = {}
+version = ''
+with open(os.path.join(proj_dir, 'dist', 'version')) as f:
+    version = f.read().strip()
+
 webext_manifest = {}
-
-chromium_manifest_file = os.path.join(proj_dir, 'platform', 'chromium', 'manifest.json')
-with open(chromium_manifest_file) as f1:
-    chromium_manifest = json.load(f1)
-
 webext_manifest_file = os.path.join(build_dir, 'manifest.json')
 with open(webext_manifest_file) as f2:
     webext_manifest = json.load(f2)
 
-match = re.search('^(\d+\.\d+\.\d+)(\.\d+)$', chromium_manifest['version'])
+match = re.search('^(\d+\.\d+\.\d+)(\.\d+)$', version)
 if match:
     buildtype = int(match.group(2)[1:])
     if buildtype < 100:
@@ -32,7 +29,7 @@ if match:
         builttype = 'rc' + str(buildtype - 100)
     webext_manifest['version'] = match.group(1) + builttype
 else:
-    webext_manifest['version'] = chromium_manifest['version']
+    webext_manifest['version'] = version
 
 with open(webext_manifest_file, 'w') as f2:
     json.dump(webext_manifest, f2, indent=2, separators=(',', ': '), sort_keys=True)