diff --git a/.travis/build.sh b/.travis/build.sh
index 797c22f..c514e11 100755
--- a/.travis/build.sh
+++ b/.travis/build.sh
@@ -3,3 +3,4 @@ pip install .
 python -c 'import sys; sys.path.remove(""); import jgo'
 which jgo
 test "$(jgo org.scijava:parsington 1+3)" -eq 4
+test "$(python -c 'from jgo import __version__; print(__version__)')" = "$(jgo --version)"
diff --git a/jgo/__init__.py b/jgo/__init__.py
index 62d933e..247e1e3 100644
--- a/jgo/__init__.py
+++ b/jgo/__init__.py
@@ -1,2 +1,5 @@
 from .jgo import resolve_dependencies, jgo_main as main
 from .util import main_from_endpoint, maven_scijava_repository, add_jvm_args_as_necessary
+from .version_info import _version as version
+
+__version__ = str(version)
diff --git a/jgo/jgo.py b/jgo/jgo.py
index 54cab66..7170eaa 100644
--- a/jgo/jgo.py
+++ b/jgo/jgo.py
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@
 import traceback
 import zipfile
 
+from .version_info import _version as version
+
 # A script to execute a main class of a Maven artifact
 # which is available locally or from Maven Central.
 #
@@ -271,6 +273,7 @@ def jgo_parser():
     parser.add_argument( '--additional-endpoints', nargs='+', help='Add additional endpoints', default=[], required=False)
     parser.add_argument('--ignore-jgorc', action='store_true', help='Ignore ~/.jgorc')
     parser.add_argument('--link-type', default=None, type=str, help='How to link from local maven repository into jgo cache. Defaults to the `links\' setting in ~/.jgorc or \'auto\' if not specified.', choices=('hard', 'soft', 'copy', 'auto'))
+    parser.add_argument('--version', action='version', version=str(version))
 
     return parser
 
@@ -514,7 +517,7 @@ def run(parser, argv=sys.argv[1:], stdout=None, stderr=None):
 
     endpoint_index = find_endpoint(argv, shortcuts)
     if endpoint_index == -1:
-        raise HelpRequested(argv) if '-h' in argv or '--help' in argv else NoEndpointProvided(argv)
+        raise HelpRequested(argv) if any(arg in argv for arg in ('--help', '-h', '--version')) else NoEndpointProvided(argv)
 
     args, unknown = parser.parse_known_args(argv[:endpoint_index])
     jvm_args      = unknown if unknown else []
diff --git a/jgo/version_info.py b/jgo/version_info.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4f40beb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/jgo/version_info.py
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+_major = 0
+_minor = 4
+_patch = 1
+_extension = 'dev0'
+
+_version_string = '%d.%d.%d%s' % (_major, _minor, _patch, _extension)
+
+class Version(object):
+    def major(self):
+        return _major
+
+    def minor(self):
+        return _minor
+
+    def patch(self):
+        return _patch
+
+    def extension(self):
+        return _extension
+
+    def __str__(self):
+        return _version_string
+
+_version = Version()
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index cb10e67..8f0cc4c 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -6,9 +6,11 @@
 with open(path.join(here, 'README.md')) as f:
     jgo_long_description = f.read()
 
+from jgo import __version__ as version
+
 setup(
     name='jgo',
-    version='0.4.1.dev0',
+    version=version,
     author='Philipp Hanslovsky, Curtis Rueden',
     author_email='hanslovskyp@janelia.hhmi.org',
     description='Launch Java code from Python and the CLI, installation-free.',