diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 01d5c84..3eb65bc 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 # Changelog
 
+# 1.7.2 : Use official Magento version detection when magento/magento2-base is not available
+
+As mentioned by Pieter Hoste, magento/magento2-base may not be available; in this case the official version detection will now be used.
+
 # 1.7.1 : More robust when handling non-existing categories.
 
 Stronger getCategoryInfo check when fetching parent categories. Pull request by Duckↄhip.
diff --git a/Model/Resource/MetaData.php b/Model/Resource/MetaData.php
index b394b71..db35b4b 100644
--- a/Model/Resource/MetaData.php
+++ b/Model/Resource/MetaData.php
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@
 use BigBridge\ProductImport\Model\Resource\Serialize\SerializeValueSerializer;
 use BigBridge\ProductImport\Model\Resource\Serialize\ValueSerializer;
 use Exception;
+use Magento\Framework\App\ObjectManager;
+use Magento\Framework\App\ProductMetadata;
 
 /**
  * Pre-loads all meta data needed for the core processes once.
@@ -415,14 +417,20 @@ protected function detectMagentoVersion()
         // $productMetadata = new \Magento\Framework\App\ProductMetadata();
         // $version = $productMetadata->getVersion();
         //
-        // But is takes 0.2 seconds to execute, this is too long
+        // But it takes up to 0.2 seconds to execute, this is too long
         // See also https://magento.stackexchange.com/questions/96858/how-to-get-magento-version-in-magento2-equivalent-of-magegetversion
+        //
+        // However, if magento/magento2-base is not deployed, it falls back to the official method
+        // See https://github.com/bigbridge-nl/product-import/issues/45
 
-        if (preg_match('/"version": "([^\"]+)"/',
-            file_get_contents(BP . '/vendor/magento/magento2-base/composer.json'), $matches)) {
+        $composerFile = BP . '/vendor/magento/magento2-base/composer.json';
 
+        if (!file_exists($composerFile)) {
+            $productMetadata = ObjectManager::getInstance()->get(ProductMetadata::class);
+            $magentoVersion = $productMetadata->getVersion();
+        } else if (preg_match('/"version": "([^\"]+)"/',
+            file_get_contents($composerFile), $matches)) {
             $magentoVersion = $matches[1];
-
         } else {
             throw new Exception("Magento version could not be detected.");
         }
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 1de648b..e264be9 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ This library imports product data into Magento 2 via direct database queries. It
 
 * A programming library to import products
 * An CLI command for product import via XML file
-* An Web API service for product import via Post Request with XML
+* A web API service for product import via Post Request with XML
 * A tool to update url_rewrites
 
 ## Note