diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index f06d060560..6c471ece71 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -46,27 +46,15 @@ if(NOT CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE)
   set(CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE "Dev" CACHE STRING "Choose the type of build." FORCE)
 endif()
 
-# Version tokens
-#   - In a git repo, these tokens are _ignored_.
-#     - If the current HEAD is tagged, the tag name is used.
-#     - Otherwise the result of `git describe` is used.
-#   - If not in a git repo (e.g. a tarball) these tokens set the version string.
+# If not in a git repo (e.g., a tarball) these tokens set the version string,
+# otherwise the result of `git describe` is used.
 set(NVIM_VERSION_MAJOR 0)
 set(NVIM_VERSION_MINOR 1)
 set(NVIM_VERSION_PATCH 1)
 
 file(TO_CMAKE_PATH ${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/.git FORCED_GIT_DIR)
 include(GetGitRevisionDescription)
-get_git_head_revision(GIT_REFSPEC NVIM_VERSION_COMMIT)
-if(NVIM_VERSION_COMMIT)    # is a git repo
-  git_get_exact_tag(NVIM_VERSION_MEDIUM)
-  if(NVIM_VERSION_MEDIUM)  # is a tagged release
-    unset(NVIM_VERSION_COMMIT)
-  else()                   # is a dev build
-    git_describe(NVIM_VERSION_MEDIUM)
-    get_git_head_revision(GIT_REFSPEC NVIM_VERSION_COMMIT)
-  endif()
-endif()
+git_describe(NVIM_VERSION_MEDIUM)
 
 set(NVIM_VERSION_BUILD_TYPE "${CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE}")
 # NVIM_VERSION_CFLAGS set further below.
diff --git a/config/versiondef.h.in b/config/versiondef.h.in
index 7f37ef72fb..c91bb29c90 100644
--- a/config/versiondef.h.in
+++ b/config/versiondef.h.in
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
 #define NVIM_VERSION_MINOR @NVIM_VERSION_MINOR@
 #define NVIM_VERSION_PATCH @NVIM_VERSION_PATCH@
 #define NVIM_VERSION_PRERELEASE "@NVIM_VERSION_PRERELEASE@"
-#cmakedefine NVIM_VERSION_COMMIT "@NVIM_VERSION_COMMIT@"
 #cmakedefine NVIM_VERSION_MEDIUM "@NVIM_VERSION_MEDIUM@"
 
 #define NVIM_VERSION_CFLAGS "@NVIM_VERSION_CFLAGS@"
diff --git a/src/nvim/version.c b/src/nvim/version.c
index 83a47c207d..069574c087 100644
--- a/src/nvim/version.c
+++ b/src/nvim/version.c
@@ -37,9 +37,6 @@ char *Version = VIM_VERSION_SHORT;
 char *longVersion = NVIM_VERSION_LONG;
 char *longVersionWithDate = NVIM_VERSION_LONG \
                             " (compiled " __DATE__ " " __TIME__ ")";
-#ifdef NVIM_VERSION_COMMIT
-char *version_commit = "Commit: " NVIM_VERSION_COMMIT;
-#endif
 char *version_buildtype = "Build type: " NVIM_VERSION_BUILD_TYPE;
 char *version_cflags = "Compilation: " NVIM_VERSION_CFLAGS;
 
@@ -1099,9 +1096,6 @@ void list_version(void)
   // When adding features here, don't forget to update the list of
   // internal variables in eval.c!
   MSG(longVersionWithDate);
-#ifdef NVIM_VERSION_COMMIT
-  MSG(version_commit);
-#endif
   MSG(version_buildtype);
   MSG(version_cflags);