diff --git a/bin/build-all.sh b/bin/build-all.sh
index ab779e187..5021680c3 100755
--- a/bin/build-all.sh
+++ b/bin/build-all.sh
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 set -e
 
-source bin/version.sh
+VERSION=`bin/buildinfo.py`
 
 COUNTRIES="US EU433 EU865 CN JP ANZ KR"
 #COUNTRIES=US
diff --git a/bin/buildinfo.py b/bin/buildinfo.py
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..803b5bc7e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bin/buildinfo.py
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+import configparser
+
+config = configparser.RawConfigParser()
+config.read('version.properties')
+
+version = dict(config.items('VERSION'))
+
+verStr = "{}.{}.{}".format(version["major"], version["minor"], version["build"])
+
+print(f"{verStr}")
diff --git a/bin/platformio-custom.py b/bin/platformio-custom.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..607906972
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bin/platformio-custom.py
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+import configparser
+
+config = configparser.RawConfigParser()
+config.read('version.properties')
+
+version = dict(config.items('VERSION'))
+
+verStr = "{}.{}.{}".format(version["major"], version["minor"], version["build"])
+
+print(f"Using meshtastic platform-custom.py, firmare version {verStr}")
+
+Import("env", "projenv")
+
+# General options that are passed to the C and C++ compilers
+projenv.Append(CCFLAGS=[
+    f"-DAPP_VERSION={verStr}"
+    ])
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/bin/version.sh b/bin/version.sh
deleted file mode 100644
index 2e7677737..000000000
--- a/bin/version.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-
-
-export VERSION=1.1.9
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/docs/software/TODO.md b/docs/software/TODO.md
index 822fbd4a4..6398e11fb 100644
--- a/docs/software/TODO.md
+++ b/docs/software/TODO.md
@@ -4,11 +4,13 @@ You probably don't care about this section - skip to the next one.
 
 For app cleanup:
 
-* do fixed position bug https://github.com/meshtastic/Meshtastic-device/issues/536
+* make device build always have a valid version
+* DONE do fixed position bug https://github.com/meshtastic/Meshtastic-device/issues/536
 * check build guide
 * generate autodocs
 * write user guide
 * DONE update android code: https://developer.android.com/topic/libraries/view-binding/migration
+* only do wantReplies once per packet type, if we change network settings force it again
 * make gpio watch work, use thread and setup
 * make hello world example service
 * make python ping command
diff --git a/platformio.ini b/platformio.ini
index 4f73d1955..015aa105b 100644
--- a/platformio.ini
+++ b/platformio.ini
@@ -19,16 +19,17 @@ default_envs = tbeam # lora-relay-v1 # nrf52840dk-geeksville # linux # or if you
 ; The following environment variables must be set in the shell if you'd like to override them.
 ; They are used in this ini file as systenv.VARNAME, so in your shell do export "VARNAME=fish"
 ; COUNTRY (default US), i.e. "export COUNTRY=EU865"
-; APP_VERSION (default emptystring)
 ; HW_VERSION (default emptystring)
 
 [env]
 
+; note: APP_VERSION now comes from bin/version.json
+extra_scripts = bin/platformio-custom.py 
+
 ; note: we add src to our include search path so that lmic_project_config can override
 ; FIXME: fix lib/BluetoothOTA dependency back on src/ so we can remove -Isrc
 build_flags = -Wno-missing-field-initializers -Isrc -Isrc/mesh -Isrc/gps -Ilib/nanopb/include -Wl,-Map,.pio/build/output.map 
   -DHW_VERSION_${sysenv.COUNTRY}
-  -DAPP_VERSION=${sysenv.APP_VERSION}
   -DHW_VERSION=${sysenv.HW_VERSION}
   -DUSE_THREAD_NAMES
   -DTINYGPSPLUS_OPTION_NO_CUSTOM_FIELDS
diff --git a/src/configuration.h b/src/configuration.h
index ed851ed8f..28eea052b 100644
--- a/src/configuration.h
+++ b/src/configuration.h
@@ -31,9 +31,12 @@ along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
 // If app version is not specified we assume we are not being invoked by the build script
 #ifndef APP_VERSION
-#error APP_VERSION, HW_VERSION, and HW_VERSION_countryname must be set by the build environment
-//#define APP_VERSION 0.0.0   // this def normally comes from build-all.sh
-//#define HW_VERSION 1.0 - US // normally comes from build-all.sh and contains the region code
+#error APP_VERSION must be set by the build environment
+#endif
+
+// If app version is not specified we assume we are not being invoked by the build script
+#ifndef HW_VERSION
+#error HW_VERSION, and HW_VERSION_countryname must be set by the build environment
 #endif
 
 // -----------------------------------------------------------------------------