diff --git a/src/main/kotlin/org/danilopianini/gradle/gitsemver/GitSemVer.kt b/src/main/kotlin/org/danilopianini/gradle/gitsemver/GitSemVer.kt
index 922058fb..78d84e4c 100644
--- a/src/main/kotlin/org/danilopianini/gradle/gitsemver/GitSemVer.kt
+++ b/src/main/kotlin/org/danilopianini/gradle/gitsemver/GitSemVer.kt
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ import org.gradle.api.Project
  */
 class GitSemVer : Plugin<Project> {
 
-    @OptIn(ExperimentalUnsignedTypes::class)
     override fun apply(project: Project) {
         with(project) {
             /*
@@ -17,12 +16,21 @@ class GitSemVer : Plugin<Project> {
             val extension = project.createExtension<GitSemVerExtension>(GitSemVerExtension.EXTENSION_NAME, project)
             project.afterEvaluate {
                 with(extension) {
-                    assignGitSemanticVersion()
+                    properties["forceVersion"]?.let {
+                        require(SemanticVersion.semVerRegex.matches(it.toString())) {
+                            "The version '$it' is not a valid semantic versioning format"
+                        }
+                        project.logger.lifecycle("Forcing version to $it")
+                        project.version = it.toString()
+                    } ?: run { assignGitSemanticVersion() }
                 }
             }
             tasks.register("printGitSemVer") {
                 it.doLast {
-                    println("Version computed by ${GitSemVer::class.java.simpleName}: ${extension.computeVersion()}")
+                    println(
+                        "Version computed by ${GitSemVer::class.java.simpleName}: " +
+                            "${properties["forceVersion"] ?: extension.computeVersion()}",
+                    )
                 }
             }
         }
diff --git a/src/test/kotlin/org/danilopianini/gradle/gitsemver/test/Tests.kt b/src/test/kotlin/org/danilopianini/gradle/gitsemver/test/Tests.kt
index 6994047f..bf6e4270 100644
--- a/src/test/kotlin/org/danilopianini/gradle/gitsemver/test/Tests.kt
+++ b/src/test/kotlin/org/danilopianini/gradle/gitsemver/test/Tests.kt
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 package org.danilopianini.gradle.gitsemver.test
 
+import io.kotest.assertions.throwables.shouldThrowUnit
 import io.kotest.core.spec.style.StringSpec
 import io.kotest.matchers.shouldBe
 import io.kotest.matchers.shouldNotBe
@@ -7,6 +8,7 @@ import io.kotest.matchers.string.shouldContain
 import io.kotest.matchers.string.shouldNotContain
 import org.gradle.internal.impldep.org.junit.rules.TemporaryFolder
 import org.gradle.testkit.runner.GradleRunner
+import org.gradle.testkit.runner.UnexpectedBuildFailure
 import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit
 
 internal class Tests : StringSpec(
@@ -99,6 +101,16 @@ internal class Tests : StringSpec(
             }
             workingDirectory.runGradle() shouldNotContain "1.2.3"
         }
+        "force the version" {
+            val result = configuredPlugin().runGradle("-PforceVersion=1.2.3", "printGitSemVer", "--stacktrace")
+            print(result)
+            result shouldContain "1.2.3"
+        }
+        "force the version with a non compliant version" {
+            shouldThrowUnit<UnexpectedBuildFailure> {
+                configuredPlugin().runGradle("-PforceVersion=a.b.c", "printGitSemVer", "--stacktrace")
+            }
+        }
     }
 ) {
     companion object {