diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 3b9a8645ce92..38e90f2bfae0 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ DOCKER_BUILD = docker build --no-cache \
 	       --build-arg user=$(USER) \
 	       --build-arg uid=$(shell id -u) \
 	       --build-arg guid=$(shell id -g) \
+	       --build-arg hostname=$(shell echo $$HOSTNAME) \
 	       -t $(SLAVE_IMAGE) \
 	       sonic-slave && \
 	       docker tag $(SLAVE_IMAGE):latest $(SLAVE_IMAGE):$(SLAVE_TAG)
@@ -36,7 +37,7 @@ DOCKER_BUILD = docker build --no-cache \
 	    -C sonic \
 	    -f slave.mk \
 	    PLATFORM=$(PLATFORM) \
-	    DEBUG_BUILD=$(DEBUG_BUILD) \
+	    BUILD_NUMBER=$(BUILD_NUMBER) \
 	    ENABLE_DHCP_GRAPH_SERVICE=$(ENABLE_DHCP_GRAPH_SERVICE) \
 	    $@
 
diff --git a/build_debian.sh b/build_debian.sh
index 0bce39736b9f..a796a243363d 100755
--- a/build_debian.sh
+++ b/build_debian.sh
@@ -257,6 +257,17 @@ sudo cp files/dhcp/graphserviceurl $FILESYSTEM_ROOT/etc/dhcp/dhclient-exit-hooks
 sudo cp files/dhcp/snmpcommunity $FILESYSTEM_ROOT/etc/dhcp/dhclient-exit-hooks.d/
 sudo cp files/dhcp/dhclient.conf $FILESYSTEM_ROOT/etc/dhcp/
 
+## Version file
+sudo mkdir -p $FILESYSTEM_ROOT/etc/sonic
+sudo tee $FILESYSTEM_ROOT/etc/sonic/sonic_version.yml > /dev/null <<EOF
+build_version: $(sonic_get_version)
+debian_version: $(cat $FILESYSTEM_ROOT/etc/debian_version)
+kernel_version: $kversion
+asic_type: $sonic_asic_platform
+build_date: $(date -u)
+built_by: $USER@$BUILD_HOSTNAME
+EOF
+
 if [ -f sonic_debian_extension.sh ]; then
     ./sonic_debian_extension.sh $FILESYSTEM_ROOT $PLATFORM_DIR
 fi
diff --git a/build_image.sh b/build_image.sh
index 2da70ad57cf9..7ac3085463dd 100755
--- a/build_image.sh
+++ b/build_image.sh
@@ -12,16 +12,7 @@
     exit 1
 }
 
-## Retrieval short version of Git revision hash for partition metadata
-if [ -z "$(git status --untracked-files=no -s --ignore-submodules)" ]; then 
-    GIT_REVISION=$(git rev-parse --short HEAD)
-elif [ ! "$DEBUG_BUILD" = "y" ]; then
-    echo "Error: There are local changes not committed to git repo. Cannot get a revision hash for partition metadata."
-    exit 1
-else 
-    echo "Warning: There are local changes not committed to git repo, revision hash won't be tracked. Never deploy this image for other than debugging purpose."
-    GIT_REVISION=$(git rev-parse --short HEAD)"_local_debug"
-fi
+IMAGE_VERSION=$(. functions.sh && sonic_get_version)
 
 if [ "$IMAGE_TYPE" = "onie" ]; then
     echo "Build ONIE installer"
@@ -42,7 +33,7 @@ if [ "$IMAGE_TYPE" = "onie" ]; then
     ## Generate an ONIE installer image
     ## Note: Don't leave blank between lines. It is single line command.
     ./onie-mk-demo.sh $TARGET_PLATFORM $TARGET_MACHINE $TARGET_PLATFORM-$TARGET_MACHINE-$ONIEIMAGE_VERSION \
-          installer platform/$TARGET_MACHINE/platform.conf $OUTPUT_ONIE_IMAGE OS $GIT_REVISION $ONIE_IMAGE_PART_SIZE \
+          installer platform/$TARGET_MACHINE/platform.conf $OUTPUT_ONIE_IMAGE OS $IMAGE_VERSION $ONIE_IMAGE_PART_SIZE \
           $ONIE_INSTALLER_PAYLOAD
 ## Use 'aboot' as target machine category which includes Aboot as bootloader
 elif [ "$IMAGE_TYPE" = "aboot" ]; then
@@ -56,7 +47,7 @@ elif [ "$IMAGE_TYPE" = "aboot" ]; then
     j2 -f env files/Aboot/boot0.j2 ./onie-image.conf > files/Aboot/boot0
     pushd files/Aboot && zip -g $OLDPWD/$OUTPUT_ABOOT_IMAGE boot0; popd
     pushd files/Aboot && zip -g $OLDPWD/$ABOOT_BOOT_IMAGE boot0; popd
-    echo "$GIT_REVISION" >> .imagehash
+    echo "$IMAGE_VERSION" >> .imagehash
     zip -g $OUTPUT_ABOOT_IMAGE .imagehash
     zip -g $ABOOT_BOOT_IMAGE .imagehash
     rm .imagehash
diff --git a/dockers/docker-snmp-sv2/sysDescription.j2 b/dockers/docker-snmp-sv2/sysDescription.j2
index 54860a229d8b..648ed161046e 100644
--- a/dockers/docker-snmp-sv2/sysDescription.j2
+++ b/dockers/docker-snmp-sv2/sysDescription.j2
@@ -1 +1 @@
-SONiC Software Version: {{ build_version }}.SONiC.v2 - HwSku: {{ minigraph_hwsku }} - Distribution: Debian {{ debian_version }} - Kernel: {{ kernel_version }}
+SONiC Software Version: SONiC.{{ build_version }} - HwSku: {{ minigraph_hwsku }} - Distribution: Debian {{ debian_version }} - Kernel: {{ kernel_version }}
diff --git a/files/build_templates/sonic_debian_extension.j2 b/files/build_templates/sonic_debian_extension.j2
index ed9d7d0b5075..77fcd1f38655 100644
--- a/files/build_templates/sonic_debian_extension.j2
+++ b/files/build_templates/sonic_debian_extension.j2
@@ -125,13 +125,6 @@ sudo bash -c "echo enabled=false > $FILESYSTEM_ROOT/etc/sonic/updategraph.conf"
 # Copy SNMP configuration files
 sudo cp $IMAGE_CONFIGS/snmp/snmp.yml $FILESYSTEM_ROOT/etc/sonic/
 
-# Generate build version file
-export git_revision=$(git rev-parse --short HEAD)
-export debian_version=$(cat $FILESYSTEM_ROOT/etc/debian_version)
-export kernel_version={{kversion}}
-j2 $BUILD_TEMPLATES/sonic_version.yml.j2 > sonic_version.yml
-sudo mv sonic_version.yml $FILESYSTEM_ROOT/etc/sonic/
-
 # Copy sudoers configuration file
 sudo cp $IMAGE_CONFIGS/sudoers/sudoers $FILESYSTEM_ROOT/etc/
 
diff --git a/files/build_templates/sonic_version.yml.j2 b/files/build_templates/sonic_version.yml.j2
deleted file mode 100644
index 6eb8a6d6c5e4..000000000000
--- a/files/build_templates/sonic_version.yml.j2
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,5 +0,0 @@
-build_version: {{git_revision}}  
-debian_version: {{debian_version}}
-kernel_version: {{kernel_version}}
-asic_type: {{sonic_asic_platform}}
-
diff --git a/functions.sh b/functions.sh
index b808f727278f..8b2cdb7c50dd 100644
--- a/functions.sh
+++ b/functions.sh
@@ -49,3 +49,18 @@ docker_try_rmi() {
         docker rmi $image_name
     }
 }
+
+sonic_get_version() {
+    local describe=$(git describe --tags)
+    local latest_tag=$(git describe --tags --abbrev=0)
+    if [ -n "$(git status --untracked-files=no -s --ignore-submodules)" ]; then
+        local dirty="-dirty"
+    fi
+    BUILD_NUMBER=${BUILD_NUMBER:-0}
+    ## Check if we are on tagged commit
+    if [ "$describe" == "$latest_tag" ]; then
+        echo "${latest_tag}${dirty}"
+    else
+        echo "${latest_tag}.${BUILD_NUMBER}${dirty:--$(git rev-parse --short HEAD)}"
+    fi
+}
diff --git a/rules/config b/rules/config
index d016288e4776..dcfa40c7459e 100644
--- a/rules/config
+++ b/rules/config
@@ -11,10 +11,6 @@
 # Uncomment next line to enable:
 # SONIC_CONFIG_PRINT_DEPENDENCIES = y
 
-# DEBUG_BUILD - enable building image with uncommitted local changes.
-# Uncomment next line to enable:
-# DEBUG_BUILD = y
-
 # SONIC_CONFIG_BUILD_JOBS - set number of jobs for parallel build.
 # Corresponding -j argument will be passed to make command inside docker
 # container.
diff --git a/slave.mk b/slave.mk
index 77967c858bdf..4f3761aa2263 100644
--- a/slave.mk
+++ b/slave.mk
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ PROJECT_ROOT = $(shell pwd)
 
 CONFIGURED_PLATFORM := $(shell [ -f .platform ] && cat .platform || echo generic)
 PLATFORM_PATH = platform/$(CONFIGURED_PLATFORM)
+export BUILD_NUMBER
 
 ###############################################################################
 ## Utility rules
@@ -342,7 +343,7 @@ $(addprefix $(TARGET_PATH)/, $(SONIC_INSTALLERS)) : $(TARGET_PATH)/% : .platform
 	)
 
 	./build_debian.sh "$(USERNAME)" "$(shell perl -e 'print crypt("$(PASSWORD)", "salt"),"\n"')" $(LOG)
-	TARGET_MACHINE=$($*_MACHINE) IMAGE_TYPE=$($*_IMAGE_TYPE) DEBUG_BUILD=$(DEBUG_BUILD) ./build_image.sh $(LOG)
+	TARGET_MACHINE=$($*_MACHINE) IMAGE_TYPE=$($*_IMAGE_TYPE) ./build_image.sh $(LOG)
 
 	$(foreach docker, $($*_DOCKERS), \
 		rm -f $($(docker)_CONTAINER_NAME).sh
diff --git a/sonic-slave/Dockerfile b/sonic-slave/Dockerfile
index b8b31940a98d..bec18bfbaed7 100644
--- a/sonic-slave/Dockerfile
+++ b/sonic-slave/Dockerfile
@@ -110,6 +110,10 @@ RUN echo "DOCKER_OPTS=\"--experimental\"" >> /etc/default/docker
 ARG user
 ARG uid
 ARG guid
+ARG hostname
+
+ENV BUILD_HOSTNAME $hostname
+ENV USER $user
 
 RUN groupadd -f -r -g $guid g$user