diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index cbc4242..a8feaf9 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ FLAKE8 := $(shell which flake8)
 PYLINT := $(shell which pylint3 || which pylint)
 
 determineversion:
-	$(eval GITDESCRIBE_DEBIAN := $(shell git describe --tags --dirty))
+	$(eval GITDESCRIBE_DEBIAN := $(shell git describe --tags --dirty | cut -c 2-))
 	sed 's/Version: .*/Version: $(GITDESCRIBE_DEBIAN)/' debian/DEBIAN/control_template > debian/DEBIAN/control
 	$(eval GITDESCRIBE_BREW := $(shell git describe --tags --abbrev=0))
 	sed 's/X\.Y/$(GITDESCRIBE_BREW)/' brew/normfn_template.rb > brew/normfn.rb