diff --git a/build/ci.go b/build/ci.go
index 4c8062eafb..043c13b76e 100644
--- a/build/ci.go
+++ b/build/ci.go
@@ -254,8 +254,8 @@ func doInstall(cmdline []string) {
 func buildFlags(env build.Environment, staticLinking bool, buildTags []string) (flags []string) {
 	var ld []string
 	if env.Commit != "" {
-		ld = append(ld, "-X", "main.gitCommit="+env.Commit)
-		ld = append(ld, "-X", "main.gitDate="+env.Date)
+		ld = append(ld, "-X", "github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/internal/version.gitCommit="+env.Commit)
+		ld = append(ld, "-X", "github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/internal/version.gitDate="+env.Date)
 	}
 	// Strip DWARF on darwin. This used to be required for certain things,
 	// and there is no downside to this, so we just keep doing it.
diff --git a/cmd/abigen/main.go b/cmd/abigen/main.go
index 56ebfa9e9b..075e98930e 100644
--- a/cmd/abigen/main.go
+++ b/cmd/abigen/main.go
@@ -33,14 +33,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/urfave/cli/v2"
 )
 
-var (
-	// Git SHA1 commit hash of the release (set via linker flags)
-	gitCommit = ""
-	gitDate   = ""
-
-	app *cli.App
-)
-
 var (
 	// Flags needed by abigen
 	abiFlag = &cli.StringFlag{
@@ -82,8 +74,9 @@ var (
 	}
 )
 
+var app = flags.NewApp("Ethereum ABI wrapper code generator")
+
 func init() {
-	app = flags.NewApp(gitCommit, gitDate, "ethereum checkpoint helper tool")
 	app.Name = "abigen"
 	app.Flags = []cli.Flag{
 		abiFlag,
diff --git a/cmd/checkpoint-admin/main.go b/cmd/checkpoint-admin/main.go
index 0604ccaad6..ca0bae7375 100644
--- a/cmd/checkpoint-admin/main.go
+++ b/cmd/checkpoint-admin/main.go
@@ -28,16 +28,9 @@ import (
 	"github.com/urfave/cli/v2"
 )
 
-var (
-	// Git SHA1 commit hash of the release (set via linker flags)
-	gitCommit = ""
-	gitDate   = ""
-
-	app *cli.App
-)
+var app = flags.NewApp("ethereum checkpoint helper tool")
 
 func init() {
-	app = flags.NewApp(gitCommit, gitDate, "ethereum checkpoint helper tool")
 	app.Commands = []*cli.Command{
 		commandStatus,
 		commandDeploy,
diff --git a/cmd/clef/main.go b/cmd/clef/main.go
index 05290f52fe..a3e4815ed5 100644
--- a/cmd/clef/main.go
+++ b/cmd/clef/main.go
@@ -215,13 +215,7 @@ The gendoc generates example structures of the json-rpc communication types.
 `}
 )
 
-var (
-	// Git SHA1 commit hash of the release (set via linker flags)
-	gitCommit = ""
-	gitDate   = ""
-
-	app = flags.NewApp(gitCommit, gitDate, "Manage Ethereum account operations")
-)
+var app = flags.NewApp("Manage Ethereum account operations")
 
 func init() {
 	app.Name = "Clef"
diff --git a/cmd/devp2p/main.go b/cmd/devp2p/main.go
index 51b9fdb761..9e13d29ab7 100644
--- a/cmd/devp2p/main.go
+++ b/cmd/devp2p/main.go
@@ -19,30 +19,17 @@ package main
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
-	"path/filepath"
 
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/internal/debug"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/internal/flags"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/p2p/enode"
-	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/params"
 	"github.com/urfave/cli/v2"
 )
 
-var (
-	// Git information set by linker when building with ci.go.
-	gitCommit string
-	gitDate   string
-	app       = &cli.App{
-		Name:        filepath.Base(os.Args[0]),
-		Usage:       "go-ethereum devp2p tool",
-		Version:     params.VersionWithCommit(gitCommit, gitDate),
-		Writer:      os.Stdout,
-		HideVersion: true,
-	}
-)
+var app = flags.NewApp("go-ethereum devp2p tool")
 
 func init() {
-	// Set up the CLI app.
+	app.HideVersion = true
 	app.Flags = append(app.Flags, debug.Flags...)
 	app.Before = func(ctx *cli.Context) error {
 		flags.MigrateGlobalFlags(ctx)
@@ -56,6 +43,7 @@ func init() {
 		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "No such command: %s\n", cmd)
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
+
 	// Add subcommands.
 	app.Commands = []*cli.Command{
 		enrdumpCommand,
diff --git a/cmd/ethkey/main.go b/cmd/ethkey/main.go
index 2b21f3cd70..25c0d104f6 100644
--- a/cmd/ethkey/main.go
+++ b/cmd/ethkey/main.go
@@ -28,14 +28,10 @@ const (
 	defaultKeyfileName = "keyfile.json"
 )
 
-// Git SHA1 commit hash of the release (set via linker flags)
-var gitCommit = ""
-var gitDate = ""
-
 var app *cli.App
 
 func init() {
-	app = flags.NewApp(gitCommit, gitDate, "an Ethereum key manager")
+	app = flags.NewApp("Ethereum key manager")
 	app.Commands = []*cli.Command{
 		commandGenerate,
 		commandInspect,
diff --git a/cmd/evm/main.go b/cmd/evm/main.go
index 994b6436ad..5f9e75f48c 100644
--- a/cmd/evm/main.go
+++ b/cmd/evm/main.go
@@ -27,13 +27,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/urfave/cli/v2"
 )
 
-var (
-	gitCommit = "" // Git SHA1 commit hash of the release (set via linker flags)
-	gitDate   = ""
-
-	app = flags.NewApp(gitCommit, gitDate, "the evm command line interface")
-)
-
 var (
 	DebugFlag = &cli.BoolFlag{
 		Name:  "debug",
@@ -192,6 +185,8 @@ var blockBuilderCommand = &cli.Command{
 	},
 }
 
+var app = flags.NewApp("the evm command line interface")
+
 func init() {
 	app.Flags = []cli.Flag{
 		BenchFlag,
diff --git a/cmd/faucet/faucet.go b/cmd/faucet/faucet.go
index dfb7d326dc..bec1f6d33b 100644
--- a/cmd/faucet/faucet.go
+++ b/cmd/faucet/faucet.go
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/eth/ethconfig"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/ethclient"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/ethstats"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/internal/version"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/les"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/log"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/node"
@@ -93,11 +94,6 @@ var (
 	ether = new(big.Int).Exp(big.NewInt(10), big.NewInt(18), nil)
 )
 
-var (
-	gitCommit = "" // Git SHA1 commit hash of the release (set via linker flags)
-	gitDate   = "" // Git commit date YYYYMMDD of the release (set via linker flags)
-)
-
 //go:embed faucet.html
 var websiteTmpl string
 
@@ -226,9 +222,10 @@ type wsConn struct {
 
 func newFaucet(genesis *core.Genesis, port int, enodes []*enode.Node, network uint64, stats string, ks *keystore.KeyStore, index []byte) (*faucet, error) {
 	// Assemble the raw devp2p protocol stack
+	git, _ := version.VCS()
 	stack, err := node.New(&node.Config{
 		Name:    "geth",
-		Version: params.VersionWithCommit(gitCommit, gitDate),
+		Version: params.VersionWithCommit(git.Commit, git.Date),
 		DataDir: filepath.Join(os.Getenv("HOME"), ".faucet"),
 		P2P: p2p.Config{
 			NAT:              nat.Any(),
diff --git a/cmd/geth/config.go b/cmd/geth/config.go
index d877e2b5dd..a8cee0d13a 100644
--- a/cmd/geth/config.go
+++ b/cmd/geth/config.go
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/eth/ethconfig"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/internal/ethapi"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/internal/flags"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/internal/version"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/log"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/metrics"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/node"
@@ -108,9 +109,10 @@ func loadConfig(file string, cfg *gethConfig) error {
 }
 
 func defaultNodeConfig() node.Config {
+	git, _ := version.VCS()
 	cfg := node.DefaultConfig
 	cfg.Name = clientIdentifier
-	cfg.Version = params.VersionWithCommit(gitCommit, gitDate)
+	cfg.Version = params.VersionWithCommit(git.Commit, git.Date)
 	cfg.HTTPModules = append(cfg.HTTPModules, "eth")
 	cfg.WSModules = append(cfg.WSModules, "eth")
 	cfg.IPCPath = "geth.ipc"
diff --git a/cmd/geth/main.go b/cmd/geth/main.go
index 70b354ae14..43885ca421 100644
--- a/cmd/geth/main.go
+++ b/cmd/geth/main.go
@@ -52,11 +52,6 @@ const (
 )
 
 var (
-	// Git SHA1 commit hash of the release (set via linker flags)
-	gitCommit = ""
-	gitDate   = ""
-	// The app that holds all commands and flags.
-	app = flags.NewApp(gitCommit, gitDate, "the go-ethereum command line interface")
 	// flags that configure the node
 	nodeFlags = flags.Merge([]cli.Flag{
 		utils.IdentityFlag,
@@ -205,6 +200,8 @@ var (
 	}
 )
 
+var app = flags.NewApp("the go-ethereum command line interface")
+
 func init() {
 	// Initialize the CLI app and start Geth
 	app.Action = geth
diff --git a/cmd/geth/misccmd.go b/cmd/geth/misccmd.go
index cc5feea9fb..d8a523c632 100644
--- a/cmd/geth/misccmd.go
+++ b/cmd/geth/misccmd.go
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/cmd/utils"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/consensus/ethash"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/internal/version"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/params"
 	"github.com/urfave/cli/v2"
 )
@@ -38,9 +39,7 @@ var (
 	VersionCheckVersionFlag = &cli.StringFlag{
 		Name:  "check.version",
 		Usage: "Version to check",
-		Value: fmt.Sprintf("Geth/v%v/%v-%v/%v",
-			params.VersionWithCommit(gitCommit, gitDate),
-			runtime.GOOS, runtime.GOARCH, runtime.Version()),
+		Value: version.ClientName(clientIdentifier),
 	}
 	makecacheCommand = &cli.Command{
 		Action:    makecache,
@@ -67,7 +66,7 @@ Regular users do not need to execute it.
 `,
 	}
 	versionCommand = &cli.Command{
-		Action:    version,
+		Action:    printVersion,
 		Name:      "version",
 		Usage:     "Print version numbers",
 		ArgsUsage: " ",
@@ -127,14 +126,16 @@ func makedag(ctx *cli.Context) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func version(ctx *cli.Context) error {
+func printVersion(ctx *cli.Context) error {
+	git, _ := version.VCS()
+
 	fmt.Println(strings.Title(clientIdentifier))
 	fmt.Println("Version:", params.VersionWithMeta)
-	if gitCommit != "" {
-		fmt.Println("Git Commit:", gitCommit)
+	if git.Commit != "" {
+		fmt.Println("Git Commit:", git.Commit)
 	}
-	if gitDate != "" {
-		fmt.Println("Git Commit Date:", gitDate)
+	if git.Date != "" {
+		fmt.Println("Git Commit Date:", git.Date)
 	}
 	fmt.Println("Architecture:", runtime.GOARCH)
 	fmt.Println("Go Version:", runtime.Version())
diff --git a/cmd/p2psim/main.go b/cmd/p2psim/main.go
index 8b3cb29b1a..a3546d405b 100644
--- a/cmd/p2psim/main.go
+++ b/cmd/p2psim/main.go
@@ -100,14 +100,8 @@ var (
 	}
 )
 
-var (
-	// Git information set by linker when building with ci.go.
-	gitCommit string
-	gitDate   string
-)
-
 func main() {
-	app := flags.NewApp(gitCommit, gitDate, "devp2p simulation command-line client")
+	app := flags.NewApp("devp2p simulation command-line client")
 	app.Flags = []cli.Flag{
 		apiFlag,
 	}
diff --git a/internal/flags/helpers.go b/internal/flags/helpers.go
index de1d29ffd4..46409f4dfd 100644
--- a/internal/flags/helpers.go
+++ b/internal/flags/helpers.go
@@ -20,15 +20,17 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"strings"
 
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/internal/version"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/params"
 	"github.com/urfave/cli/v2"
 )
 
 // NewApp creates an app with sane defaults.
-func NewApp(gitCommit, gitDate, usage string) *cli.App {
+func NewApp(usage string) *cli.App {
+	git, _ := version.VCS()
 	app := cli.NewApp()
 	app.EnableBashCompletion = true
-	app.Version = params.VersionWithCommit(gitCommit, gitDate)
+	app.Version = params.VersionWithCommit(git.Commit, git.Date)
 	app.Usage = usage
 	app.Copyright = "Copyright 2013-2022 The go-ethereum Authors"
 	app.Before = func(ctx *cli.Context) error {
diff --git a/internal/version/vcs_fallback.go b/internal/version/vcs_fallback.go
index 6d7f32e735..f792c68cdb 100644
--- a/internal/version/vcs_fallback.go
+++ b/internal/version/vcs_fallback.go
@@ -23,6 +23,6 @@ import "runtime/debug"
 
 // In Go versions before 1.18, VCS information is not available.
 
-func vcsInfo(info *debug.BuildInfo) (gitStatus, bool) {
-	return gitStatus{}, false
+func buildInfoVCS(info *debug.BuildInfo) (VCSInfo, bool) {
+	return VCSInfo{}, false
 }
diff --git a/internal/version/vcs_go1.18.go b/internal/version/vcs_go1.18.go
index d5b9c97a16..53cd41fb30 100644
--- a/internal/version/vcs_go1.18.go
+++ b/internal/version/vcs_go1.18.go
@@ -19,29 +19,36 @@
 
 package version
 
-import "runtime/debug"
+import (
+	"runtime/debug"
+	"time"
+)
 
 // In go 1.18 and beyond, the go tool embeds VCS information into the build.
 
-// vcsInfo returns VCS information of the build.
-func vcsInfo(info *debug.BuildInfo) (s gitStatus, ok bool) {
+const (
+	govcsTimeLayout = "2006-01-02T15:04:05Z"
+	ourTimeLayout   = "20060102"
+)
+
+// buildInfoVCS returns VCS information of the build.
+func buildInfoVCS(info *debug.BuildInfo) (s VCSInfo, ok bool) {
 	for _, v := range info.Settings {
 		switch v.Key {
 		case "vcs.revision":
-			if len(v.Value) < 8 {
-				s.revision = v.Value
-			} else {
-				s.revision = v.Value[:8]
-			}
+			s.Commit = v.Value
 		case "vcs.modified":
 			if v.Value == "true" {
-				s.modified = true
+				s.Dirty = true
 			}
 		case "vcs.time":
-			s.time = v.Value
+			t, err := time.Parse(govcsTimeLayout, v.Value)
+			if err == nil {
+				s.Date = t.Format(ourTimeLayout)
+			}
 		}
 	}
-	if s.revision != "" && s.time != "" {
+	if s.Commit != "" && s.Date != "" {
 		ok = true
 	}
 	return
diff --git a/internal/version/version.go b/internal/version/version.go
index e4b9ee4907..4959102f7d 100644
--- a/internal/version/version.go
+++ b/internal/version/version.go
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ package version
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"runtime"
 	"runtime/debug"
 	"strings"
 
@@ -27,6 +28,43 @@ import (
 
 const ourPath = "github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum" // Path to our module
 
+// These variables are set at build-time by the linker when the build is
+// done by build/ci.go.
+var gitCommit, gitDate string
+
+// VCSInfo represents the git repository state.
+type VCSInfo struct {
+	Commit string // head commit hash
+	Date   string // commit time in YYYYMMDD format
+	Dirty  bool
+}
+
+// VCS returns version control information of the current executable.
+func VCS() (VCSInfo, bool) {
+	if gitCommit != "" {
+		// Use information set by the build script if present.
+		return VCSInfo{Commit: gitCommit, Date: gitDate}, true
+	}
+	if buildInfo, ok := debug.ReadBuildInfo(); ok {
+		if buildInfo.Main.Path == ourPath {
+			return buildInfoVCS(buildInfo)
+		}
+	}
+	return VCSInfo{}, false
+}
+
+// ClientName creates a software name/version identifier according to common
+// conventions in the Ethereum p2p network.
+func ClientName(clientIdentifier string) string {
+	git, _ := VCS()
+	return fmt.Sprintf("%s/v%v/%v-%v/%v",
+		strings.Title(clientIdentifier),
+		params.VersionWithCommit(git.Commit, git.Date),
+		runtime.GOOS, runtime.GOARCH,
+		runtime.Version(),
+	)
+}
+
 // runtimeInfo returns build and platform information about the current binary.
 //
 // If the package that is currently executing is a prefixed by our go-ethereum
@@ -40,22 +78,20 @@ func Info() (version, vcs string) {
 		return version, ""
 	}
 	version = versionInfo(buildInfo)
-	if status, ok := vcsInfo(buildInfo); ok {
+	if status, ok := VCS(); ok {
 		modified := ""
-		if status.modified {
+		if status.Dirty {
 			modified = " (dirty)"
 		}
-		vcs = status.revision + "-" + status.time + modified
+		commit := status.Commit
+		if len(commit) > 8 {
+			commit = commit[:8]
+		}
+		vcs = commit + "-" + status.Date + modified
 	}
 	return version, vcs
 }
 
-type gitStatus struct {
-	revision string
-	time     string
-	modified bool
-}
-
 // versionInfo returns version information for the currently executing
 // implementation.
 //