diff --git a/site_scons/site_tools/fbt_assets.py b/site_scons/site_tools/fbt_assets.py
index f91fcfed..e83d8fa7 100644
--- a/site_scons/site_tools/fbt_assets.py
+++ b/site_scons/site_tools/fbt_assets.py
@@ -67,28 +67,17 @@ def _invoke_git(args, source_dir):
 
 
 def proto_ver_generator(target, source, env):
+    changelog_content = source[0].get_text_contents()
+    for ln in changelog_content.split('\n'):
+        ln = ln.strip()
+        if ln.startswith('## ['):
+            version = ln[len('## ['):-1]
+            break
+    else:
+        print("couldn't parse version from changelog " + str(source[0]))
+        Exit()
     target_file = target[0]
-    src_dir = source[0].dir.abspath
-    try:
-        git_fetch = _invoke_git(
-            ["fetch", "--tags"],
-            source_dir=src_dir,
-        )
-    except (subprocess.CalledProcessError, EnvironmentError) as e:
-        # Not great, not terrible
-        print("Git: fetch failed")
-
-    try:
-        git_describe = _invoke_git(
-            ["describe", "--tags", "--abbrev=0"],
-            source_dir=src_dir,
-        )
-    except (subprocess.CalledProcessError, EnvironmentError) as e:
-        print("Git: describe failed")
-        Exit("git error")
-
-    # print("describe=", git_describe)
-    git_major, git_minor = git_describe.split(".")
+    git_major, git_minor = version.split(".")
     version_file_data = (
         "#pragma once",
         f"#define PROTOBUF_MAJOR_VERSION {git_major}",