diff --git a/src/CMakeLists.txt b/src/CMakeLists.txt
index e2c2002e2..0215eb691 100644
--- a/src/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -268,10 +268,13 @@ set(sources
         version.h
         )
 
+# version.c is generated by gen_version.cmake
 add_custom_target(
         gen_version ALL
         COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -DCMAKE_C_COMPILER=${CMAKE_C_COMPILER} -P ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/gen_version.cmake
-        WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR})
+        WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}
+        BYPRODUCTS ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/version.c
+        COMMENT "Generating version.c using gen_version.cmake")
 
 add_library(core OBJECT ${sources})
 target_compile_options(core PRIVATE ${EXTRAWARN})
diff --git a/src/api/CMakeLists.txt b/src/api/CMakeLists.txt
index 3e330f8bd..1975fc416 100644
--- a/src/api/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/api/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -34,7 +34,6 @@ set(sources
         )
 
 add_library(api OBJECT ${sources})
-add_dependencies(api gen_version)
 target_compile_options(api PRIVATE ${EXTRAWARN})
 target_include_directories(api PRIVATE ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/src)
 add_subdirectory(docs)
diff --git a/src/version.c b/src/version.c
deleted file mode 100644
index e2488837d..000000000
--- a/src/version.c
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,44 +0,0 @@
-/* Pi-hole: A black hole for Internet advertisements
-*  (c) 2025 Pi-hole, LLC (https://pi-hole.net)
-*  Network-wide ad blocking via your own hardware.
-*
-*  FTL Engine
-*  Version-related hard-coded strings
-*
-*  This file is copyright under the latest version of the EUPL.
-*  Please see LICENSE file for your rights under this license. */
-
-#include "version.h"
-
-const char * __attribute__ ((const)) git_version(void)
-{
-	return "v5.25.2-2610-gdc6e3889-dirty";
-}
-
-const char * __attribute__ ((const)) git_date(void)
-{
-	return "2025-02-06 20:16:39 +0100";
-}
-const char * __attribute__ ((const)) git_branch(void)
-{
-	return "update/sqlite_3.49.0";
-}
-const char * __attribute__ ((const)) git_tag(void)
-{
-	return "v5.25.2";
-}
-
-const char * __attribute__ ((const)) git_hash(void)
-{
-	return "dc6e3889-dirty";
-}
-
-const char * __attribute__ ((const)) ftl_arch(void)
-{
-	return "x86_64 (compiled locally)";
-}
-
-const char * __attribute__ ((const)) ftl_cc(void)
-{
-	return "cc (Ubuntu 13.3.0-6ubuntu2~24.04) 13.3.0";
-}
diff --git a/src/webserver/CMakeLists.txt b/src/webserver/CMakeLists.txt
index d0348ebcf..bb810208e 100644
--- a/src/webserver/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/webserver/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ set(sources
         )
 
 add_library(webserver OBJECT ${sources})
-add_dependencies(webserver gen_version)
 target_compile_options(webserver PRIVATE ${EXTRAWARN})
 target_include_directories(webserver PRIVATE ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/src)