diff --git a/tools/helios-build/src/main.rs b/tools/helios-build/src/main.rs
index 0c12ad3..2c12faf 100644
--- a/tools/helios-build/src/main.rs
+++ b/tools/helios-build/src/main.rs
@@ -599,7 +599,10 @@ fn regen_illumos_sh<P: AsRef<Path>>(
                 smatch,$SMATCHBIN,smatch\"\n";
         }
     }
-    env += "export BUILDVERSION_EXEC=\"git describe --all --long --dirty\"\n";
+    env += "export BUILDVERSION_EXEC=\
+        \"git describe --all --long --dirty \
+        --match $(git branch --show-current) --exact-match 2>/dev/null || \
+        git describe --all --long --dirty\"\n";
     env += &format!("export DMAKE_MAX_JOBS={}\n", maxjobs);
     env += "export ENABLE_SMB_PRINTING='#'\n";
     match relver {