diff --git a/cnf/mkversionheader.sh b/cnf/mkversionheader.sh
index a31a69f095..96df4a6dea 100755
--- a/cnf/mkversionheader.sh
+++ b/cnf/mkversionheader.sh
@@ -4,11 +4,12 @@ TMP="$1".tmp
 DST="$1"
 
 # Determine build version and date
-GAP_BUILD_VERSION=`git describe --tags --dirty || echo`
-GAP_BUILD_DATE=`date +"%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S (%Z)"`
-if test x"${GAP_BUILD_VERSION}" = x ; then
+if test -d ../.git ; then
+  GAP_BUILD_VERSION=`git describe --tags --dirty || echo`
+else
   GAP_BUILD_VERSION=unknown
 fi
+GAP_BUILD_DATE=`date +"%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S (%Z)"`
 
 # Generate the file
 cat > "$TMP" <<EOF
diff --git a/lib/init.g b/lib/init.g
index 4d637ee84e..8f96b77bf3 100644
--- a/lib/init.g
+++ b/lib/init.g
@@ -296,6 +296,8 @@ CallAndInstallPostRestore( function()
         haveint[i]:= IntHexString( have[i] );
         needint[i]:= IntHexString( need[i] );
       od;
+      Print( "Current kernel version:   ", haveint[1], ".", haveint[2], ".", haveint[3], "\n" );
+      Print( "Library requires version: ", needint[1], ".", needint[2], ".", needint[3], "\n" );
 
       if haveint > needint then
         # kernel newer