diff --git a/dvc/version.py b/dvc/version.py
index d4a6c6cb0..dbd6705cc 100644
--- a/dvc/version.py
+++ b/dvc/version.py
@@ -3,11 +3,17 @@ import os
 import subprocess
 
 
+BASE_VERSION = "0.35.0"
+
+
 def generate_version(base_version):
     """Generate a version with information about the git repository"""
     pkg_dir = os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(__file__)))
 
-    if not is_git_repo(pkg_dir) or not have_git(pkg_dir):
+    if not is_git_repo(pkg_dir) or not have_git():
+        return base_version
+
+    if is_release(pkg_dir, base_version):
         return base_version
 
     return "{base_version}+{short_sha}{dirty}".format(
@@ -22,7 +28,7 @@ def is_git_repo(dir_path):
     return os.path.exists(os.path.join(dir_path, ".git"))
 
 
-def have_git(dir_path):
+def have_git():
     """Can we run the git executable?"""
     try:
         subprocess.check_output(["git", "--help"])
@@ -33,6 +39,17 @@ def have_git(dir_path):
         return False
 
 
+def is_release(dir_path, base_version):
+    try:
+        output = subprocess.check_output(
+            ["git", "describe", "--tags", "--exact-match"], cwd=dir_path
+        ).decode("utf-8")
+        tag = output.strip()
+        return tag == base_version
+    except subprocess.CalledProcessError:
+        return False
+
+
 def git_revision(dir_path):
     """Get the SHA-1 of the HEAD of a git repository."""
     return subprocess.check_output(
@@ -49,4 +66,4 @@ def is_dirty(dir_path):
         return True
 
 
-__version__ = generate_version(base_version="0.35.0")
+__version__ = generate_version(BASE_VERSION)
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_version.py b/tests/unit/test_version.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..249f58e7e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/test_version.py
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+import mock
+import subprocess
+
+
+import dvc.version
+from dvc.utils.compat import cast_bytes
+
+
+def test_is_release():
+    with mock.patch.object(dvc.version.subprocess, "check_output") as m:
+        m.side_effect = subprocess.CalledProcessError(1, "cmd")
+        ret = dvc.version.is_release(None, dvc.version.BASE_VERSION)
+        assert ret is False
+
+        m.side_effect = None
+        m.return_value = cast_bytes(dvc.version.BASE_VERSION)
+        ret = dvc.version.is_release(None, dvc.version.BASE_VERSION)
+        assert ret
+
+        m.return_value = cast_bytes("630d1741c2d5dd89a3176bd15b63121b905d35c9")
+        ret = dvc.version.is_release(None, dvc.version.BASE_VERSION)
+        assert ret is False