diff --git a/ai21/__init__.py b/ai21/__init__.py
index e69de29b..b558e4d8 100644
--- a/ai21/__init__.py
+++ b/ai21/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+from .version import VERSION
+
+__version__ = VERSION
diff --git a/ai21/version.py b/ai21/version.py
index 8c0d5d5b..21014090 100644
--- a/ai21/version.py
+++ b/ai21/version.py
@@ -1 +1 @@
-__version__ = "2.0.0"
+VERSION = "2.0.0"
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 3d1b618f..af796142 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ version_toml = [
     "pyproject.toml:tool.poetry.version"
 ]
 version_variables = [
-    "ai21/version.py:__version__"
+    "ai21/version.py:VERSION"
 ]
 
 match = "(main)"