diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index d917d3e..b1e80bb 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-0.1.2
+0.1.3
diff --git a/lbranch/__init__.py b/lbranch/__init__.py
index 7f93670..d2c2221 100644
--- a/lbranch/__init__.py
+++ b/lbranch/__init__.py
@@ -2,11 +2,7 @@
 lbranch - A Git utility that shows recently checked out branches in chronological order.
 """
 
-from pathlib import Path
-
 from .main import main
+from .version import __version__
 
-_version_file = Path(__file__).parent.parent / 'VERSION'
-__version__ = _version_file.read_text().strip()
-
-__all__ = ['main']
+__all__ = ['main', '__version__']
diff --git a/lbranch/main.py b/lbranch/main.py
index 4c8daa1..5e1aee6 100644
--- a/lbranch/main.py
+++ b/lbranch/main.py
@@ -8,7 +8,8 @@
 import re
 import subprocess
 import sys
-from pathlib import Path
+
+from .version import __version__
 
 # Exit codes - following sysexits.h conventions
 EXIT_SUCCESS = 0  # successful execution
@@ -83,10 +84,6 @@ def supports_color():
     BLUE = ''
     NC = ''
 
-# Read version from VERSION file
-_version_file = Path(__file__).parent.parent / 'VERSION'
-__version__ = _version_file.read_text().strip()
-
 
 def print_error(message, exit_code=EXIT_SOFTWARE):
     """Print error message and exit with specified code"""
diff --git a/lbranch/version.py b/lbranch/version.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a1df734
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lbranch/version.py
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+"""Version information for lbranch."""
+
+from pathlib import Path
+
+_version_file = Path(__file__).parent.parent / 'VERSION'
+__version__ = _version_file.read_text().strip()
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index dbbcdc1..24e8c2e 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ build-backend = "hatchling.build"
 
 [project]
 name = "lbranch"
-version = "0.1.2"
+version = "0.1.3"
 description = "A Git utility that shows recently checked-out branches in chronological order and lets you quickly switch between them."
 readme = "README.md"
 requires-python = ">=3.7"