diff --git a/include/init.sh b/include/init.sh
index 25e2dc75..d0edb3fb 100644
--- a/include/init.sh
+++ b/include/init.sh
@@ -259,10 +259,6 @@ xbmk_set_version()
 		versiondate="$(git show --no-patch --no-notes \
 		    --pretty='%ct' HEAD)" || versiondate="$versiondate_"
 
-	if [ -z "$version" ] || [ -z "$versiondate" ]; then
-		err "version and/or versiondate unset" "xbmk_set_version" "$@"
-	fi
-
 	update_xbmkver "."
 
 	relname="$projectname-$version"
diff --git a/include/lib.sh b/include/lib.sh
index 427a6aec..8bcfc216 100644
--- a/include/lib.sh
+++ b/include/lib.sh
@@ -26,6 +26,9 @@ update_xbmkver()
 {
 	xbmk_sanitize_version
 
+	[ -z "${version-}${versiondate-}" ] && \
+		err "version and/or versiondate unset" "update_xbmkver" "$@"
+
 	printf "%s\n" "$version" > "$1/.version" || \
 	    err "can't write '$1'" "update_xbmkver" "$@"; :