diff --git a/ci/build_wheel.sh b/ci/build_wheel.sh
index 88d38b38a..9723ecaa8 100755
--- a/ci/build_wheel.sh
+++ b/ci/build_wheel.sh
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ else
 fi
 
 # First build the C++ lib using CMake via the run script
+echo "libcucim version: `cat VERSION_CPP`"
 ./run build_local libcucim ${CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE}
 
 # Current `pip wheel` build assumes all shared libraries exist in this path
@@ -64,12 +65,15 @@ PYTHON_CLARA_SO_PREFIX_PATH="./python/cucim/src/cucim/clara/"
 
 # Build the C++ cuslide and cumed plugins
 # (omit copying binaries as they don't go in the wheel)
+echo "cuslide version: `cat cpp/plugins/cucim.kit.cuslide/VERSION`"
 ./run build_local cuslide ${CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE}
 cp -P -r cpp/plugins/cucim.kit.cuslide/install/lib/* ${PYTHON_CLARA_SO_PREFIX_PATH}
+echo "cumed version: `cat cpp/plugins/cucim.kit.cumed/VERSION`"
 ./run build_local cumed ${CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE}
 cp -P -r cpp/plugins/cucim.kit.cumed/install/lib/* ${PYTHON_CLARA_SO_PREFIX_PATH}
 
 # Compile the Python bindings
+echo "cucim bindings version: `cat VERSION_CPP`"
 ./run build_local cucim ${CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE}
 cp -P install/lib/*.so ${PYTHON_CLARA_SO_PREFIX_PATH}
 
diff --git a/ci/release/update-version.sh b/ci/release/update-version.sh
index 133cfac3b..cdd32d466 100755
--- a/ci/release/update-version.sh
+++ b/ci/release/update-version.sh
@@ -40,9 +40,6 @@ echo "${NEXT_FULL_TAG}" > VERSION
 # update VERSION files used by C++/CMake (TODO: avoid these duplicate copies)
 NEXT_CPP_LONG_TAG=${NEXT_MAJOR}.${NEXT_MINOR}.${NEXT_PATCH}  # no leading 'v' or trailing 'a'
 echo "${NEXT_CPP_LONG_TAG}" > VERSION_CPP
-sed_runner "s/${CURRENT_LONG_TAG}/${NEXT_CPP_LONG_TAG}/g" python/cucim/VERSION
-sed_runner "s/${CURRENT_LONG_TAG}/${NEXT_CPP_LONG_TAG}/g" cpp/plugins/cucim.kit.cuslide/VERSION
-sed_runner "s/${CURRENT_LONG_TAG}/${NEXT_CPP_LONG_TAG}/g" cpp/plugins/cucim.kit.cumed/VERSION
 
 sed_runner "s#\[Version ${CURRENT_LONG_TAG}\](release_notes/v${CURRENT_LONG_TAG}.md)#\[Version ${NEXT_FULL_TAG}\](release_notes/v${NEXT_FULL_TAG}.md)#g" python/cucim/docs/index.md
 sed_runner "s/v${CURRENT_LONG_TAG}/v${NEXT_FULL_TAG}/g" python/cucim/docs/getting_started/index.md
diff --git a/cpp/plugins/cucim.kit.cumed/CMakeLists.txt b/cpp/plugins/cucim.kit.cumed/CMakeLists.txt
index 4073ecfd5..46f61a34d 100644
--- a/cpp/plugins/cucim.kit.cumed/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/cpp/plugins/cucim.kit.cumed/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.18)
 
 # Set VERSION
 unset(VERSION CACHE)
-file(STRINGS ${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/VERSION VERSION)
+file(STRINGS ${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/../../../VERSION_CPP VERSION)
 
 # Append local cmake module path
 list(APPEND CMAKE_MODULE_PATH "${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/cmake/modules")
diff --git a/cpp/plugins/cucim.kit.cumed/VERSION b/cpp/plugins/cucim.kit.cumed/VERSION
deleted file mode 100644
index a193fff41..000000000
--- a/cpp/plugins/cucim.kit.cumed/VERSION
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-23.12.00
diff --git a/cpp/plugins/cucim.kit.cuslide/CMakeLists.txt b/cpp/plugins/cucim.kit.cuslide/CMakeLists.txt
index 37dbca4f7..4e89df64d 100644
--- a/cpp/plugins/cucim.kit.cuslide/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/cpp/plugins/cucim.kit.cuslide/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.18)
 
 # Set VERSION
 unset(VERSION CACHE)
-file(STRINGS ${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/VERSION VERSION)
+file(STRINGS ${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/../../../VERSION_CPP VERSION)
 
 # Append local cmake module path
 list(APPEND CMAKE_MODULE_PATH "${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/cmake/modules")
diff --git a/cpp/plugins/cucim.kit.cuslide/VERSION b/cpp/plugins/cucim.kit.cuslide/VERSION
deleted file mode 100644
index a193fff41..000000000
--- a/cpp/plugins/cucim.kit.cuslide/VERSION
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-23.12.00
diff --git a/python/CMakeLists.txt b/python/CMakeLists.txt
index 2a3277457..502b70241 100644
--- a/python/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/python/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.18)
 
 # Set VERSION
 unset(VERSION CACHE)
-file(STRINGS ${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/../VERSION VERSION)
+file(STRINGS ${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/../VERSION_CPP VERSION)
 
 # Append local cmake module path
 list(APPEND CMAKE_MODULE_PATH "${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/cmake/modules")
diff --git a/python/cucim/VERSION b/python/cucim/VERSION
deleted file mode 100644
index a193fff41..000000000
--- a/python/cucim/VERSION
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-23.12.00