diff --git a/desktop_version/CMakeLists.txt b/desktop_version/CMakeLists.txt
index ad619344..3660941b 100644
--- a/desktop_version/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/desktop_version/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -212,35 +212,29 @@ set(SBIDI_SRC ../third_party/SheenBidi/Source/SheenBidi.c)
 if(NOT OFFICIAL_BUILD)
     # Add interim commit hash and its date to the build
 
-    # find_package sets GIT_FOUND and GIT_EXECUTABLE
-    find_package(Git)
+    # These filenames have to be qualified, because when we run
+    # the CMake script, its work dir gets set to the build folder
+    set(VERSION_INPUT_FILE ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/src/InterimVersion.in.c)
+    set(VERSION_OUTPUT_FILE ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/src/InterimVersion.out.c)
 
-    if(GIT_FOUND)
-        # These filenames have to be qualified, because when we run
-        # the CMake script, its work dir gets set to the build folder
-        set(VERSION_INPUT_FILE ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/src/InterimVersion.in.c)
-        set(VERSION_OUTPUT_FILE ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/src/InterimVersion.out.c)
+    add_custom_target(
+        GenerateVersion ALL
+        # This BYPRODUCTS line is required for this to be ran every time
+        BYPRODUCTS ${VERSION_OUTPUT_FILE}
+        COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND}
+        # These args have to be passed through, otherwise the script can't see them
+        # Also, these args have to come BEFORE `-P`! (Otherwise it fails with an unclear error)
+        -DINPUT_FILE=${VERSION_INPUT_FILE}
+        -DOUTPUT_FILE=${VERSION_OUTPUT_FILE}
+        -P ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/version.cmake
+    )
 
-        add_custom_target(
-            GenerateVersion ALL
-            # This BYPRODUCTS line is required for this to be ran every time
-            BYPRODUCTS ${VERSION_OUTPUT_FILE}
-            COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND}
-            # These args have to be passed through, otherwise the script can't see them
-            # Also, these args have to come BEFORE `-P`! (Otherwise it fails with an unclear error)
-            -DGIT_EXECUTABLE=${GIT_EXECUTABLE}
-            -DINPUT_FILE=${VERSION_INPUT_FILE}
-            -DOUTPUT_FILE=${VERSION_OUTPUT_FILE}
-            -P ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/version.cmake
-        )
+    add_dependencies(VVVVVV GenerateVersion)
 
-        add_dependencies(VVVVVV GenerateVersion)
+    target_compile_definitions(VVVVVV PRIVATE -DINTERIM_VERSION_EXISTS)
 
-        target_compile_definitions(VVVVVV PRIVATE -DINTERIM_VERSION_EXISTS)
-
-        add_library(InterimVersion STATIC src/InterimVersion.out.c)
-        list(APPEND STATIC_LIBRARIES InterimVersion)
-    endif()
+    add_library(InterimVersion STATIC src/InterimVersion.out.c)
+    list(APPEND STATIC_LIBRARIES InterimVersion)
 endif()
 
 # Build options
diff --git a/desktop_version/version.cmake b/desktop_version/version.cmake
index 79bf71af..bf94a2c5 100644
--- a/desktop_version/version.cmake
+++ b/desktop_version/version.cmake
@@ -1,23 +1,40 @@
 # Expects INPUT_FILE and OUTPUT_FILE to be defined
 
-# Get interim commit and date of commit
-EXECUTE_PROCESS(
-    COMMAND "${GIT_EXECUTABLE}" log -1 --format=%h
-    OUTPUT_VARIABLE INTERIM_COMMIT
-    OUTPUT_STRIP_TRAILING_WHITESPACE
-)
+# find_package sets GIT_FOUND and GIT_EXECUTABLE
+find_package(Git)
 
-EXECUTE_PROCESS(
-    COMMAND "${GIT_EXECUTABLE}" log -1 --format=%cd --date=short
-    OUTPUT_VARIABLE COMMIT_DATE
-    OUTPUT_STRIP_TRAILING_WHITESPACE
-)
+if(GIT_FOUND)
+    # Get interim commit and date of commit
+    EXECUTE_PROCESS(
+        COMMAND "${GIT_EXECUTABLE}" log -1 --format=%h
+        OUTPUT_VARIABLE INTERIM_COMMIT
+        OUTPUT_STRIP_TRAILING_WHITESPACE
+    )
 
-EXECUTE_PROCESS(
-    COMMAND "${GIT_EXECUTABLE}" branch --show-current
-    OUTPUT_VARIABLE BRANCH_NAME
-    OUTPUT_STRIP_TRAILING_WHITESPACE
-)
+    EXECUTE_PROCESS(
+        COMMAND "${GIT_EXECUTABLE}" log -1 --format=%cd --date=short
+        OUTPUT_VARIABLE COMMIT_DATE
+        OUTPUT_STRIP_TRAILING_WHITESPACE
+    )
+
+    EXECUTE_PROCESS(
+        COMMAND "${GIT_EXECUTABLE}" branch --show-current
+        OUTPUT_VARIABLE BRANCH_NAME
+        OUTPUT_STRIP_TRAILING_WHITESPACE
+    )
+endif()
+
+# Defaults if we don't have git or its commands fail for any reason or give blanks
+# For annoying CMake reasons, must use "${VAR}" syntax rather than VAR
+if("${INTERIM_COMMIT}" STREQUAL "")
+    set(INTERIM_COMMIT "(commit?)")
+endif()
+if("${COMMIT_DATE}" STREQUAL "")
+    set(COMMIT_DATE "(date?)")
+endif()
+if("${BRANCH_NAME}" STREQUAL "")
+    set(BRANCH_NAME "(branch?)")
+endif()
 
 MESSAGE(STATUS "This is interim commit ${INTERIM_COMMIT} (committed ${COMMIT_DATE}) on branch ${BRANCH_NAME}")