diff --git a/GNUmakefile b/GNUmakefile
index 93b1c5633..0a71c5238 100644
--- a/GNUmakefile
+++ b/GNUmakefile
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ ASSETFS_PATH?=agent/bindata_assetfs.go
 # Get the git commit
 GIT_COMMIT?=$(shell git rev-parse --short HEAD)
 GIT_DIRTY?=$(shell test -n "`git status --porcelain`" && echo "+CHANGES" || true)
-GIT_DESCRIBE?=$(shell git describe --tags --always)
+GIT_DESCRIBE?=$(shell git describe --tags --always --match "v*")
 GIT_IMPORT=github.com/hashicorp/consul/version
 GOLDFLAGS=-X $(GIT_IMPORT).GitCommit=$(GIT_COMMIT)$(GIT_DIRTY) -X $(GIT_IMPORT).GitDescribe=$(GIT_DESCRIBE)
 
@@ -269,4 +269,5 @@ proto:
 	protoc agent/connect/ca/plugin/*.proto --gofast_out=plugins=grpc:../../..
 
 .PHONY: all ci bin dev dist cov test test-ci test-internal test-install-deps cover format vet ui static-assets tools
-.PHONY: docker-images go-build-image ui-build-image ui-legacy-build-image static-assets-docker consul-docker ui-docker ui-legacy-docker version proto
+.PHONY: docker-images go-build-image ui-build-image ui-legacy-build-image static-assets-docker consul-docker ui-docker
+.PHONY: ui-legacy-docker version proto
diff --git a/build-support/functions/10-util.sh b/build-support/functions/10-util.sh
index d4aced977..061f33a23 100644
--- a/build-support/functions/10-util.sh
+++ b/build-support/functions/10-util.sh
@@ -513,7 +513,7 @@ function update_git_env {
 
    export GIT_COMMIT=$(git rev-parse --short HEAD)
    export GIT_DIRTY=$(test -n "$(git status --porcelain)" && echo "+CHANGES")
-   export GIT_DESCRIBE=$(git describe --tags --always)
+   export GIT_DESCRIBE=$(git describe --tags --always --match "v*")
    export GIT_IMPORT=github.com/hashicorp/consul/version
    export GOLDFLAGS="-X ${GIT_IMPORT}.GitCommit=${GIT_COMMIT}${GIT_DIRTY} -X ${GIT_IMPORT}.GitDescribe=${GIT_DESCRIBE}"
    return 0