diff --git a/genversion.sh b/genversion.sh
index af2edca9cfd..50fe3fad983 100755
--- a/genversion.sh
+++ b/genversion.sh
@@ -80,9 +80,10 @@ function getVersionFromLog()
 function printHelp()
 {
   echo "Usage:"                                                1>&2
-  echo "${0} [--help|--print-only] [SOURCEPATH]"               1>&2
+  echo "${0} [--help|--print-only|--version] [SOURCEPATH]"     1>&2
   echo "  --help       prints this message"                    1>&2
   echo "  --print-only prints the version to stdout and quits" 1>&2
+  echo "  --version    VERSION sets the version manually"      1>&2 
 }
 
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -93,6 +94,13 @@ while test ${#} -ne 0; do
     PRINTHELP=1
   elif test x${1} = x--print-only; then
     PRINTONLY=1
+  elif test x${1} = x--version; then
+    if test ${#} -lt 2; then
+      echo "--version parameter needs an argument" 1>&2
+      exit 1
+    fi
+    USER_VERSION=${2}
+    shift
   else
     SOURCEPATH=${1}
   fi
@@ -143,6 +151,12 @@ if test ! -d ${SOURCEPATH}.git; then
     fi
   fi
 
+#-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Check if the version has been specified by the user
+#-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+elif test x$USER_VERSION != x; then
+  VERSION=$USER_VERSION
+
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # We're in a git repo so we can try to determine the version using that
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -184,7 +198,7 @@ fi
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Make sure the version string is not longer than 25 characters
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-if test ${#VERSION} -gt 25; then
+if test ${#VERSION} -gt 25 and x$USER_VERSION = x; then
   VERSION="${VERSION:0:19}...${VERSION: -3}"
 fi
 
diff --git a/packaging/makesrpm.sh b/packaging/makesrpm.sh
index e391c46bb1a..3bd40b6bf76 100755
--- a/packaging/makesrpm.sh
+++ b/packaging/makesrpm.sh
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ function printHelp()
   echo "                defaults to ../"                     1>&2
   echo "  --output PATH the directory where the source rpm"  1>&2
   echo "                should be stored, defaulting to ."   1>&2
+  echo "  --version VERSION the version provided by user"    1>&2
 }
 
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -58,6 +59,13 @@ while test ${#} -ne 0; do
     fi
     OUTPUTPATH=${2}
     shift
+  elif test x${1} = x--version; then
+    if test ${#} -lt 2; then
+      echo "--version parameter needs an argument" 1>&2
+      exit 1
+    fi
+    USER_VERSION="--version ${2}"
+    shift
   fi
   shift
 done
@@ -112,7 +120,7 @@ if test ! -x $SOURCEPATH/genversion.sh; then
   exit 3
 fi
 
-VERSION=`$SOURCEPATH/genversion.sh --print-only $SOURCEPATH 2>/dev/null`
+VERSION=`$SOURCEPATH/genversion.sh --print-only $USER_VERSION $SOURCEPATH 2>/dev/null`
 if test $? -ne 0; then
   echo "[!] Unable to figure out the version number" 1>&2
   exit 4
@@ -141,6 +149,17 @@ if test x`echo $VERSION | egrep $CERNEXP` != x; then
   VERSION=`echo $VERSION | sed 's/-.*\.CERN//'`
 fi
 
+#-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# In case of user version check if the release number has been provided
+#-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+if test x"$USER_VERSION" != x; then
+  TMP=`echo $VERSION | sed 's#.*-##g'`
+  if test $TMP != $VERSION; then
+    RELEASE=$TMP
+    VERSION=`echo $VERSION | sed 's#-[^-]*$##'`
+  fi
+fi
+
 VERSION=`echo $VERSION | sed 's/-/./g'`
 echo "[i] RPM compliant version: $VERSION-$RELEASE"