diff --git a/mage/main.go b/mage/main.go
index b51ea95..de95078 100644
--- a/mage/main.go
+++ b/mage/main.go
@@ -72,6 +72,9 @@ const (
 
 var debug = log.New(io.Discard, "DEBUG: ", log.Ltime|log.Lmicroseconds)
 
+// distro* are optional -X ldflags for packaging builds without VCS metadata.
+var distroTimestamp, distroCommit, distroGitTag string
+
 //go:generate stringer -type=Command
 
 // Command tracks invocations of mage that run without targets or other flags.
@@ -202,6 +205,15 @@ func doVersion(out *log.Logger) {
 			}
 		}
 	}
+	if distroGitTag != "" {
+		gitTag = distroGitTag
+	}
+	if distroCommit != "" {
+		commitHash = distroCommit
+	}
+	if distroTimestamp != "" {
+		timestamp = distroTimestamp
+	}
 	out.Println("Mage Build Tool", gitTag)
 	out.Println("Build Date:", timestamp)
 	out.Println("Commit:", commitHash)