diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 68a6972bcbf92ba2f782bdc559603793144a04d0..4511809e733c3f77c50e0372643ffcaf033accd7 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -8,9 +8,14 @@ execute_process(COMMAND
   ${GIT_CMD} describe --match "*[0-9].[0-9]*" --tag
   WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}
   OUTPUT_VARIABLE CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION
+  RESULT_VARIABLE GIT_VERSION_NOT_FOUND
   OUTPUT_STRIP_TRAILING_WHITESPACE
 )
 
+if(GIT_VERSION_NOT_FOUND AND NOT GIT_VERSION_NOT_FOUND EQUAL 0)
+  set(CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION "0.7.4-unreleased")
+endif()
+
 set(CMAKE_MODULE_PATH ${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/cmake)
 set(CMAKE_EXPORT_COMPILE_COMMANDS ON)
 if(NOT CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE)