diff --git a/es-app/src/EmulationStation.h b/es-app/src/EmulationStation.h
index 49058fe63..8ef5f6745 100644
--- a/es-app/src/EmulationStation.h
+++ b/es-app/src/EmulationStation.h
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 #define PROGRAM_VERSION_MAJOR        2
 #define PROGRAM_VERSION_MINOR        0
 #define PROGRAM_VERSION_MAINTENANCE  0
+#define PROGRAM_RELEASE_NUMBER       28
 // clang-format on
 #define PROGRAM_VERSION_STRING "2.0.0-beta"
 
diff --git a/es-app/src/main.cpp b/es-app/src/main.cpp
index f24b646d5..8837fb7a6 100644
--- a/es-app/src/main.cpp
+++ b/es-app/src/main.cpp
@@ -397,7 +397,8 @@ bool parseArgs(int argc, char* argv[])
             Log::setReportingLevel(LogDebug);
         }
         else if (strcmp(argv[i], "--version") == 0 || strcmp(argv[i], "-v") == 0) {
-            std::cout << "EmulationStation Desktop Edition v" << PROGRAM_VERSION_STRING << "\n";
+            std::cout << "EmulationStation Desktop Edition v" << PROGRAM_VERSION_STRING << " (r"
+                      << PROGRAM_RELEASE_NUMBER << ")\n";
             return false;
         }
         else if (strcmp(argv[i], "--help") == 0 || strcmp(argv[i], "-h") == 0) {
@@ -582,9 +583,8 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
     // Start the logger.
     Log::init();
     Log::open();
-    LOG(LogInfo) << "EmulationStation Desktop Edition v" << PROGRAM_VERSION_STRING << ", built "
-                 << PROGRAM_BUILT_STRING;
-
+    LOG(LogInfo) << "EmulationStation Desktop Edition v" << PROGRAM_VERSION_STRING << " (r"
+                 << PROGRAM_RELEASE_NUMBER << "), built " << PROGRAM_BUILT_STRING;
     if (portableMode) {
         LOG(LogInfo) << "Running in portable mode";
     }
diff --git a/tools/update_version_string.sh b/tools/update_version_string.sh
index 815779efb..7d490d3c3 100755
--- a/tools/update_version_string.sh
+++ b/tools/update_version_string.sh
@@ -84,6 +84,15 @@ NEWSTRING="#define RESOURCE_VERSION_STRING \"${1},${2},${3}"
 cat $MODIFYFILE | sed s/"${MODIFYSTRING}"/"${NEWSTRING}"/ > $TEMPFILE
 mv $TEMPFILE $MODIFYFILE
 
+MODIFYSTRING=$(grep "PROGRAM_RELEASE_NUMBER" $MODIFYFILE)
+OLDRELEASE=$(grep "PROGRAM_RELEASE_NUMBER" $MODIFYFILE | sed "s/[^0-9]//g")
+((NEWRELEASE=OLDRELEASE+1))
+echo "Increased release number from ${OLDRELEASE} to ${NEWRELEASE}"
+NEWSTRING=$(grep "PROGRAM_RELEASE_NUMBER" $MODIFYFILE | sed "s/$OLDRELEASE/$NEWRELEASE/")
+
+cat $MODIFYFILE | sed s/"${MODIFYSTRING}"/"${NEWSTRING}"/ > $TEMPFILE
+mv $TEMPFILE $MODIFYFILE
+
 ##### EmulationStation-DE_Info.plist
 
 MODIFYFILE=../es-app/assets/EmulationStation-DE_Info.plist