diff --git a/version.cmake b/version.cmake
index de6d09ff0..4a7fb1a8f 100644
--- a/version.cmake
+++ b/version.cmake
@@ -198,7 +198,11 @@ macro(VERSION_COMPUTE)
   set(PROJECT_STABLE False)
 
   if("${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}" STREQUAL "")
-    set(PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR "${PROJECT_JRL_CMAKE_MODULE_DIR}/..")
+    if(EXISTS "${PROJECT_JRL_CMAKE_MODULE_DIR}/../CMakeLists.txt")
+      set(PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR "${PROJECT_JRL_CMAKE_MODULE_DIR}/..")
+    else()
+      set(PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}")
+    endif()
   endif()
   if(NOT DEFINED PROJECT_VERSION_COMPUTATION_METHODS)
     list(APPEND PROJECT_VERSION_COMPUTATION_METHODS "ROS_PACKAGE_XML_FILE"