diff --git a/apps/Makefile b/apps/Makefile
index b2880fb7ec..3629813595 100644
--- a/apps/Makefile
+++ b/apps/Makefile
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ TARGET = -DARCHOS_PLAYER_OLD=1
 # store output files in this directory:
 OBJDIR = .
 
-CFLAGS = -O -W -Wall -m1 -nostdlib -Wstrict-prototypes -fomit-frame-pointer -fschedule-insns $(INCLUDES) $(TARGET) $(DEFINES)
+CFLAGS = -O -W -Wall -m1 -nostdlib -Wstrict-prototypes -fomit-frame-pointer -fschedule-insns $(INCLUDES) $(TARGET) $(DEFINES) -DAPPSVERSION=\"$(VERSION)\"
 AFLAGS += -small -relax
 
 ifdef DEBUG
diff --git a/tools/configure b/tools/configure
index 0464150d31..b83a34791d 100755
--- a/tools/configure
+++ b/tools/configure
@@ -53,13 +53,14 @@ TARGET=@TARGET@
 DISPLAY=@DISPLAY@
 KEYPAD=@KEYPAD@
 THISDIR="@PWD@"
+VERSION=\$(shell date +%y%m%d-%H%M)
 
 .PHONE: 
 
 all: sim
 
 sim:
-	make -C \$(SIMDIR) DISPLAY=\$(DISPLAY) KEYPAD=\$(KEYPAD) OBJDIR=\$(THISDIR)
+	make -C \$(SIMDIR) DISPLAY=\$(DISPLAY) KEYPAD=\$(KEYPAD) OBJDIR=\$(THISDIR) VERSION=\$(VERSION)
 
 clean-sim:
 	make -C \$(SIMDIR) DISPLAY=\$(DISPLAY) KEYPAD=\$(KEYPAD) OBJDIR=\$(THISDIR) clean
@@ -150,7 +151,6 @@ if [ -z "$target" ]; then
   esac
 fi
 
-
 if [ -z "$debug" ]; then
   ##################################################################
   # Figure out debug on/off
@@ -235,6 +235,7 @@ APPSDIR=@APPSDIR@
 DEBUG=@DEBUG@
 TARGET=@TARGET@
 THISDIR="@PWD@"
+VERSION=\$(shell date +%y%m%d-%H%M)
 
 .PHONE: firmware apps
 
@@ -244,7 +245,7 @@ firmware:
 	make -C \$(FIRMDIR) TARGET=\$(TARGET) \$(DEBUG) OBJDIR=\$(THISDIR)
 
 apps:
-	make -C \$(APPSDIR) TARGET=\$(TARGET) \$(DEBUG) OBJDIR=\$(THISDIR)
+	make -C \$(APPSDIR) TARGET=\$(TARGET) \$(DEBUG) OBJDIR=\$(THISDIR) VERSION=\$(VERSION)
 
 clean-firmware:
 	make -C \$(FIRMDIR) TARGET=\$(TARGET) OBJDIR=\$(THISDIR) clean
diff --git a/uisimulator/x11/Makefile b/uisimulator/x11/Makefile
index 73d46bf9a4..0c82b2d0a3 100644
--- a/uisimulator/x11/Makefile
+++ b/uisimulator/x11/Makefile
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ DISPLAY = -DHAVE_LCD_BITMAP
 KEYPAD = -DHAVE_RECORDER_KEYPAD
 
 DEFINES = -DHAVE_CONFIG_H -DGETTIMEOFDAY_TWO_ARGS -DSIMULATOR	\
-$(KEYPAD) $(DISPLAY)
+$(KEYPAD) $(DISPLAY) 
 
 LDFLAGS = -lX11 -lm -lXt -lXmu -lnsl
 
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ endif
 
 CFLAGS = $(DEBUG) $(DEFINES) $(INCLUDES) -W -Wall
 
-APPCFLAGS = $(DEBUG) $(DEFINES) $(APPINCLUDES) -W -Wall
+APPCFLAGS = $(DEBUG) $(DEFINES) -DAPPSVERSION=\"$(VERSION)\" $(APPINCLUDES) -W -Wall
 
 FIRMSRCS = chartables.c lcd.c sprintf.c id3.c debug.c usb.c mpeg.c
 
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ $(OBJDIR)/showtext.o: $(APPDIR)/showtext.c
 	$(CC) $(APPCFLAGS) -c $< -o $@
 
 $(OBJDIR)/lcd.o: $(DRIVERS)/lcd.c
-	$(CC) $(APPCFLAGS) -c $< -o $@
+	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -c $< -o $@
 
 $(OBJDIR)/chartables.o: $(FIRMWAREDIR)/chartables.c
 	$(CC) $(APPCFLAGS) -c $< -o $@
@@ -216,10 +216,10 @@ $(OBJDIR)/mpeg.o: $(FIRMWAREDIR)/mpeg.c
 	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -c $< -o $@
 
 $(OBJDIR)/sprintf.o: $(COMMON)/sprintf.c
-	$(CC) $(APPCFLAGS) -c $< -o $@
+	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -c $< -o $@
 
 $(OBJDIR)/usb.o: $(FIRMWAREDIR)/usb.c
-	$(CC) $(APPCFLAGS) -c $< -o $@
+	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -c $< -o $@
 
 
 # these ones are simulator-specific