fix: empty version
diff --git a/backend/Makefile b/backend/Makefile
index 208f9b4..4ff7cc7 100644
--- a/backend/Makefile
+++ b/backend/Makefile
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 # https://stackoverflow.com/questions/920413/make-error-missing-separator
 # https://tutorialedge.net/golang/makefiles-for-go-developers/
 
-SHA = $(shell git show -s --format=%h)
+SHA ?= $(shell git show -s --format=%h)
 TAG ?= $(shell git tag --points-at HEAD)
 IMAGE_REPO ?= "apache"
 VERSION = $(TAG)@$(SHA)
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@
 	scripts/build-plugins.sh
 
 build-server: swag
-	scripts/build-server.sh
+	VERSION=$(VERSION) scripts/build-server.sh
 
 build-python: #don't mix this with the other build commands
 	scripts/build-python.sh
diff --git a/backend/scripts/build-server.sh b/backend/scripts/build-server.sh
index ff340cd..4944ac1 100755
--- a/backend/scripts/build-server.sh
+++ b/backend/scripts/build-server.sh
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@
 
 set -e
 
+echo build-server.sh VERSION: $VERSION
+
 ROOT_DIR=$(dirname $(dirname "$0"))
 VERSION=${VERSION:-$(git describe --tags --always --dirty || true)}
 EXTRA=""