1 file changed, 4 insertions, 2 deletions
diff --git a/source/gen-version.sh b/source/gen-version.sh
index 23d0d0b..fb7d459 100755
--- a/source/gen-version.sh
+++ b/source/gen-version.sh
@@ -9,10 +9,12 @@
 V=$1
 OUT=${2:-VERSION}
 
-# Prefer `git describe` when run at the top of the cgit working tree.
+# Prefer `git describe` when run at the top of the cgit working tree,
+# keeping the fallback when it fails, as in a shallow tagless clone.
 if test "$(git rev-parse --git-dir 2>/dev/null)" = '.git'
 then
-	V=$(git describe --abbrev=4 HEAD 2>/dev/null)
+	D=$(git describe --abbrev=4 HEAD 2>/dev/null)
+	test -n "$D" && V=$D
 fi
 
 new="CGIT_VERSION = $V"