diff --git a/ArduPlane/GCS_Mavlink.pde b/ArduPlane/GCS_Mavlink.pde
index 48b434a233..b4de2d9653 100644
--- a/ArduPlane/GCS_Mavlink.pde
+++ b/ArduPlane/GCS_Mavlink.pde
@@ -1461,8 +1461,10 @@ void GCS_MAVLINK::handleMessage(mavlink_message_t* msg)
         mavlink_msg_param_request_list_decode(msg, &packet);
         if (mavlink_check_target(packet.target_system,packet.target_component)) break;
 
-        // Start sending parameters - next call to ::update will kick the first one out
+        // mark the firmware version in the tlog
+        send_text_P(SEVERITY_LOW, PSTR(FIRMWARE_STRING));
 
+        // Start sending parameters - next call to ::update will kick the first one out
         _queued_parameter = AP_Param::first(&_queued_parameter_token, &_queued_parameter_type);
         _queued_parameter_index = 0;
         _queued_parameter_count = _count_parameters();
diff --git a/ArduPlane/Log.pde b/ArduPlane/Log.pde
index 997f101b92..de7dc0c5a5 100644
--- a/ArduPlane/Log.pde
+++ b/ArduPlane/Log.pde
@@ -478,7 +478,7 @@ static const struct LogStructure log_structure[] PROGMEM = {
 // Read the DataFlash.log memory : Packet Parser
 static void Log_Read(uint16_t log_num, int16_t start_page, int16_t end_page)
 {
-    cliSerial->printf_P(PSTR("\n" THISFIRMWARE
+    cliSerial->printf_P(PSTR("\n" FIRMWARE_STRING
                              "\nFree RAM: %u\n"),
                         (unsigned) memcheck_available_memory());
 
@@ -495,6 +495,7 @@ static void Log_Read(uint16_t log_num, int16_t start_page, int16_t end_page)
 static void start_logging() 
 {
     DataFlash.StartNewLog(sizeof(log_structure)/sizeof(log_structure[0]), log_structure);
+    DataFlash.Log_Write_Message_P(PSTR(FIRMWARE_STRING));
 }
 
 #else // LOGGING_ENABLED
diff --git a/ArduPlane/config.h b/ArduPlane/config.h
index 1e9219d529..105a50ab09 100644
--- a/ArduPlane/config.h
+++ b/ArduPlane/config.h
@@ -529,3 +529,12 @@
  # define SERIAL2_BUFSIZE 256
 #endif
 
+/*
+  build a firmware version string.
+  GIT_VERSION comes from Makefile builds
+*/
+#ifndef GIT_VERSION
+#define FIRMWARE_STRING THISFIRMWARE
+#else
+#define FIRMWARE_STRING THISFIRMWARE " (" GIT_VERSION ")"
+#endif
diff --git a/ArduPlane/system.pde b/ArduPlane/system.pde
index 2764c03b1e..25332ef24e 100644
--- a/ArduPlane/system.pde
+++ b/ArduPlane/system.pde
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ static void init_ardupilot()
     // standard gps running
     hal.uartB->begin(38400, 256, 16);
 
-    cliSerial->printf_P(PSTR("\n\nInit " THISFIRMWARE
+    cliSerial->printf_P(PSTR("\n\nInit " FIRMWARE_STRING
                          "\n\nFree RAM: %u\n"),
                     memcheck_available_memory());