diff --git a/.github/workflows/go.yml b/.github/workflows/go.yml
index f45b41833..2de018cea 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/go.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/go.yml
@@ -17,6 +17,9 @@ jobs:
         go-version: ["1.20.x", "1.21.x", "1.22.0-rc.1"]
     steps:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+      with:
+        fetch-depth: 0 # history/tags are needed for automatic version generation
+        fetch-tags: true
 
     - name: Set up Go
       uses: actions/setup-go@v3
diff --git a/cmd/gvproxy/main.go b/cmd/gvproxy/main.go
index 8e534a25f..a2efaa428 100644
--- a/cmd/gvproxy/main.go
+++ b/cmd/gvproxy/main.go
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ func main() {
 	})
 	// Wait for all of the go funcs to finish up
 	if err := groupErrs.Wait(); err != nil {
-		log.Error(err)
+		log.Errorf("gvproxy exiting: %v", err)
 		exitCode = 1
 	}
 }
@@ -341,7 +341,7 @@ func run(ctx context.Context, g *errgroup.Group, configuration *types.Configurat
 	if vpnkitSocket != "" {
 		vpnkitListener, err := transport.Listen(vpnkitSocket)
 		if err != nil {
-			return err
+			return errors.Wrap(err, "vpnkit listen error")
 		}
 		g.Go(func() error {
 		vpnloop:
@@ -368,7 +368,7 @@ func run(ctx context.Context, g *errgroup.Group, configuration *types.Configurat
 	if qemuSocket != "" {
 		qemuListener, err := transport.Listen(qemuSocket)
 		if err != nil {
-			return err
+			return errors.Wrap(err, "qemu listen error")
 		}
 
 		g.Go(func() error {
@@ -383,7 +383,6 @@ func run(ctx context.Context, g *errgroup.Group, configuration *types.Configurat
 			conn, err := qemuListener.Accept()
 			if err != nil {
 				return errors.Wrap(err, "qemu accept error")
-
 			}
 			return vn.AcceptQemu(ctx, conn)
 		})
@@ -392,7 +391,7 @@ func run(ctx context.Context, g *errgroup.Group, configuration *types.Configurat
 	if bessSocket != "" {
 		bessListener, err := transport.Listen(bessSocket)
 		if err != nil {
-			return err
+			return errors.Wrap(err, "bess listen error")
 		}
 
 		g.Go(func() error {
@@ -416,7 +415,7 @@ func run(ctx context.Context, g *errgroup.Group, configuration *types.Configurat
 	if vfkitSocket != "" {
 		conn, err := transport.ListenUnixgram(vfkitSocket)
 		if err != nil {
-			return err
+			return errors.Wrap(err, "vfkit listen error")
 		}
 
 		g.Go(func() error {
@@ -430,7 +429,7 @@ func run(ctx context.Context, g *errgroup.Group, configuration *types.Configurat
 		g.Go(func() error {
 			vfkitConn, err := transport.AcceptVfkit(conn)
 			if err != nil {
-				return err
+				return errors.Wrap(err, "vfkit accept error")
 			}
 			return vn.AcceptVfkit(ctx, vfkitConn)
 		})
diff --git a/pkg/types/version.go b/pkg/types/version.go
index 845ba439b..c371601c5 100644
--- a/pkg/types/version.go
+++ b/pkg/types/version.go
@@ -45,6 +45,16 @@ func moduleVersion() string {
 		return gitArchiveVersion
 	// This will be set when building from git using make
 	case gitVersion != "":
+		if !strings.HasPrefix(gitVersion, "v") {
+			// if an annotated tag is found, the git describe string will be similar to:
+			// v0.7.2-15-g2c897d90
+			// When using shallow clones, the commit being built
+			// may not have an annotated tag in its history,
+			// `git describe` will only be the abbreviated commit hash in this case:
+			// 2c897d90
+			return fmt.Sprintf("git%s", gitVersion)
+
+		}
 		return gitVersion
 	// moduleVersionFromBuildInfo() will be set when using `go install`
 	default: