diff --git a/geokit.gemspec b/geokit.gemspec
index 77450e9e..7d05d522 100644
--- a/geokit.gemspec
+++ b/geokit.gemspec
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # -*- encoding: utf-8 -*-
 $:.push File.expand_path("../lib", __FILE__)
-require 'lib/geokit'
+require 'geokit/version'
 
 Gem::Specification.new do |s|
   s.name        = "geokit"
diff --git a/lib/geokit.rb b/lib/geokit.rb
index ab569575..cb9ea531 100644
--- a/lib/geokit.rb
+++ b/lib/geokit.rb
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 module Geokit
-  VERSION = '1.6.1'
   # These defaults are used in Geokit::Mappable.distance_to and in acts_as_mappable
   @@default_units   = :miles
   @@default_formula = :sphere
diff --git a/lib/geokit/version.rb b/lib/geokit/version.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..49461e4a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/geokit/version.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+module Geokit
+  VERSION = '1.6.1'
+end