diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 06d8fb34..92ee8a8c 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -16,4 +16,4 @@ set(ROSPACK_MAKEDIST true)
 # variables.
 #list(APPEND CPACK_SOURCE_IGNORE_FILES /core/experimental)
 
-rosbuild_make_distribution(1.1.16)
+rosbuild_make_distribution(1.3.x-trunk)
diff --git a/bin/rosversion b/bin/rosversion
index 14d66e20..60148af2 100755
--- a/bin/rosversion
+++ b/bin/rosversion
@@ -28,14 +28,45 @@
 
 # This tool is a place-holder for a future version inspection system.
 
-USAGE = '''USAGE: rosversion <stack>
-  Available stacks:
-    ros'''
+from __future__ import with_statement
 
+USAGE = "Usage: rosversion <stack>"
+
+import os
 import sys
+import re
+import roslib.stacks
 
-if len(sys.argv) == 2 and sys.argv[1] == 'ros':
-  print '1.1.16'
+def get_source_version(text):
+    for l in text.split('\n'):
+        if l.strip().startswith('rosbuild_make_distribution'):
+            x_re = re.compile(r'[()]')
+            lsplit = x_re.split(l.strip())
+            if len(lsplit) < 2:
+                raise Exception("couldn't find version number in CMakeLists.txt:\n\n%s"%l)
+            return lsplit[1]
+    raise Exception("could not locate version number in stack CMakeLists.txt")
+    
+if len(sys.argv) == 2:
+    stack_name = sys.argv[1]
+    
+    try:
+        d = roslib.stacks.get_stack_dir(stack_name)
+    except Exception, e:
+        print >> sys.stderr, str(e)
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+    cmake_p = os.path.join(d, 'CMakeLists.txt')
+    if not os.path.isfile(cmake_p):
+        print '<unversioned>'
+    else:
+        with open(cmake_p) as f:
+            text = f.read()
+        try:
+            print get_source_version(text)
+        except Exception, e:
+            print >> sys.stderr, str(e)
+            sys.exit(1)
 else:
-  print >> sys.stderr, USAGE
-  sys.exit(-1)
+    print >> sys.stderr, USAGE
+    sys.exit(-1)