diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index aab96166e7..dd0dde50a8 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -38,3 +38,5 @@ tailscale.jks
 libtailscale.aar
 libtailscale-sources.jar
 .DS_Store
+
+tailscale.version
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 554d6d33b8..4bec4ccf1b 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -17,21 +17,7 @@ DEBUG_APK=tailscale-debug.apk
 RELEASE_AAB=tailscale-release.aab
 RELEASE_TV_AAB=tailscale-tv-release.aab
 LIBTAILSCALE=android/libs/libtailscale.aar
-TAILSCALE_VERSION=$(shell ./version/tailscale-version.sh 200)
-OUR_VERSION=$(shell git describe --dirty --exclude "*" --always --abbrev=200)
-TAILSCALE_VERSION_ABBREV=$(shell ./version/tailscale-version.sh 11)
-OUR_VERSION_ABBREV=$(shell git describe --exclude "*" --always --abbrev=11)
-VERSION_LONG=$(TAILSCALE_VERSION_ABBREV)-g$(OUR_VERSION_ABBREV)
-# Extract the long version build.gradle's versionName and strip quotes.
-VERSIONNAME=$(patsubst "%",%,$(lastword $(shell grep versionName android/build.gradle)))
-# Extract the x.y.z part for the short version.
-VERSIONNAME_SHORT=$(shell echo $(VERSIONNAME) | cut -d - -f 1)
-TAILSCALE_COMMIT=$(shell echo $(TAILSCALE_VERSION) | cut -d - -f 2 | cut -d t -f 2)
 # Extract the version code from build.gradle.
-VERSIONCODE=$(lastword $(shell grep versionCode android/build.gradle))
-VERSIONCODE_PLUSONE=$(shell expr $(VERSIONCODE) + 1)
-VERSION_LDFLAGS=-X tailscale.com/version.longStamp=$(VERSIONNAME) -X tailscale.com/version.shortStamp=$(VERSIONNAME_SHORT) -X tailscale.com/version.gitCommitStamp=$(TAILSCALE_COMMIT) -X tailscale.com/version.extraGitCommitStamp=$(OUR_VERSION)
-FULL_LDFLAGS=$(VERSION_LDFLAGS) -w
 ifeq ($(shell uname),Linux)
 	ANDROID_TOOLS_URL="https://dl.google.com/android/repository/commandlinetools-linux-9477386_latest.zip"
 	ANDROID_TOOLS_SUM="bd1aa17c7ef10066949c88dc6c9c8d536be27f992a1f3b5a584f9bd2ba5646a0  commandlinetools-linux-9477386_latest.zip"
@@ -111,17 +97,17 @@ tailscale-debug: $(DEBUG_APK) ## Build the debug APK
 
 # Builds the release AAB and signs it (phone/tablet/chromeOS variant)
 .PHONY: release
-release: update-version jarsign-env $(RELEASE_AAB) ## Build the release AAB
+release: jarsign-env $(RELEASE_AAB) ## Build the release AAB
 	@jarsigner -sigalg SHA256withRSA -digestalg SHA-256 -keystore $(JKS_PATH) -storepass $(JKS_PASSWORD) $(RELEASE_AAB) tailscale
 
 # Builds the release AAB and signs it (androidTV variant)
 .PHONY: release-tv
-release-tv: update-version jarsign-env $(RELEASE_TV_AAB) ## Build the release AAB
+release-tv: jarsign-env $(RELEASE_TV_AAB) ## Build the release AAB
 	@jarsigner -sigalg SHA256withRSA -digestalg SHA-256 -keystore $(JKS_PATH) -storepass $(JKS_PASSWORD) $(RELEASE_TV_AAB) tailscale
 
 # gradle-dependencies groups together the android sources and libtailscale needed to assemble tests/debug/release builds.
 .PHONY: gradle-dependencies
-gradle-dependencies: $(shell find android -type f -not -path "android/build/*" -not -path '*/.*') $(LIBTAILSCALE)
+gradle-dependencies: $(shell find android -type f -not -path "android/build/*" -not -path '*/.*') $(LIBTAILSCALE) tailscale.version
 
 $(DEBUG_APK): gradle-dependencies
 	(cd android && ./gradlew test assembleDebug)
@@ -141,6 +127,12 @@ tailscale-test.apk: gradle-dependencies
 	(cd android && ./gradlew assembleApplicationTestAndroidTest)
 	install -C ./android/build/outputs/apk/androidTest/applicationTest/android-applicationTest-androidTest.apk $@
 
+tailscale.version: go.mod go.sum .git/HEAD
+    $(shell ./tool/go run tailscale.com/cmd/mkversion > tailscale.version)
+
+version: tailscale.version ## print the current version information
+	cat tailscale.version
+
 #
 # Go Builds:
 #
@@ -154,10 +146,10 @@ $(GOBIN)/gomobile: $(GOBIN)/gobind go.mod go.sum
 $(GOBIN)/gobind: go.mod go.sum
 	./tool/go install golang.org/x/mobile/cmd/gobind
 
-$(LIBTAILSCALE): Makefile android/libs $(shell find libtailscale -name *.go) go.mod go.sum $(GOBIN)/gomobile
+$(LIBTAILSCALE): Makefile android/libs $(shell find libtailscale -name *.go) go.mod go.sum $(GOBIN)/gomobile tailscale.version
 	$(GOBIN)/gomobile bind -target android -androidapi 26 \
 		-tags "$$(./build-tags.sh)" \
-		-ldflags "$(FULL_LDFLAGS)" \
+		-ldflags "-w $$(./version-ldflags.sh)" \
 		-o $@ ./libtailscale
 
 .PHONY: libtailscale
@@ -202,29 +194,25 @@ androidpath:
 	@echo 'export PATH=$(ANDROID_HOME)/cmdline-tools/latest/bin:$(ANDROID_HOME)/platform-tools:$$PATH'
 
 .PHONY: tag_release
-tag_release: ## Tag the current commit with the current version
-	git tag -a "$(VERSION_LONG)" -m "OSS and Version updated to ${VERSION_LONG}"
+tag_release: tailscale.version ## Tag the current commit with the current version
+	source tailscale.version && git tag -a "$${VERSION_LONG}" -m "OSS and Version updated to $${VERSION_LONG}"
 
 
 .PHONY: bumposs ## Bump to the latest oss and update the versions.
-bumposs: update-oss update-version
-	git commit -sm "android: bump OSS" -m "OSS and Version updated to ${VERSION_LONG}" go.toolchain.rev android/build.gradle go.mod go.sum
-	git tag -a "$(VERSION_LONG)" -m "OSS and Version updated to ${VERSION_LONG}"
+bumposs: update-oss tailscale.version
+	source tailscale.version && git commit -sm "android: bump OSS" -m "OSS and Version updated to $${VERSION_LONG}" go.toolchain.rev android/build.gradle go.mod go.sum
+	source tailscale.version && git tag -a "$${VERSION_LONG}" -m "OSS and Version updated to $${VERSION_LONG}"
 
 .PHONY: bump_version_code
 bump_version_code: ## Bump the version code in build.gradle
-	sed -i'.bak' 's/versionCode .*/versionCode $(VERSIONCODE_PLUSONE)/' android/build.gradle && rm android/build.gradle.bak
-
-.PHONY: update-version
-update-version: ## Update the version in build.gradle
-	sed -i'.bak' 's/versionName .*/versionName "$(VERSION_LONG)"/' android/build.gradle && rm android/build.gradle.bak
+	sed -i'.bak' "s/versionCode .*/versionCode $$(expr $$(awk '/versionCode ([0-9]+)/{print $$2}' android/build.gradle) + 1)/" android/build.gradle && rm android/build.gradle.bak
 
 .PHONY: update-oss
-update-oss: ## Update the tailscale.com go module and update the version in build.gradle
+update-oss: ## Update the tailscale.com go module
 	GOPROXY=direct ./tool/go get tailscale.com@main
+	./tool/go mod tidy -compat=1.23
 	./tool/go run tailscale.com/cmd/printdep --go > go.toolchain.rev.new
 	mv go.toolchain.rev.new go.toolchain.rev
-	./tool/go mod tidy -compat=1.23
 
 # Get the commandline tools package, this provides (among other things) the sdkmanager binary.
 $(ANDROID_HOME)/cmdline-tools/latest/bin/sdkmanager:
@@ -310,13 +298,13 @@ docker-remove-shell-image: ## Removes all docker shell image
 	docker rmi --force tailscale-android-shell-amd64
 
 .PHONY: clean
-clean: ## Remove build artifacts.  Does not purge docker build envs.  Use dockerRemoveEnv for that.
-clean: ## Remove build artifacts.  Does not purge docker build envs.  Use dockerRemoveEnv for that.
+clean: clean-tailscale.version ## Remove build artifacts.  Does not purge docker build envs.  Use dockerRemoveEnv for that.
 	@echo "Cleaning up old build artifacts"
 	-rm -rf android/build $(DEBUG_APK) $(RELEASE_AAB) $(RELEASE_TV_AAB) $(LIBTAILSCALE) android/libs *.apk *.aab
 	@echo "Cleaning cached toolchain"
 	-rm -rf $(HOME)/.cache/tailscale-go{,.extracted}
 	-pkill -f gradle
+	-rm tailscale.version
 
 .PHONY: help
 help: ## Show this help
diff --git a/android/build.gradle b/android/build.gradle
index d2b1ad6989..a0055b929e 100644
--- a/android/build.gradle
+++ b/android/build.gradle
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ android {
         minSdkVersion 26
         targetSdkVersion 34
         versionCode 241
-        versionName "1.77.12-ta8f9c0d6e-g753b8d3fb4b"
+        versionName getVersionProperty("VERSION_LONG")
 
         // This setting, which defaults to 'true', will cause Tailscale to fall
         // back to the Google DNS servers if it cannot determine what the
@@ -181,3 +181,13 @@ def getLocalProperty(key, defaultValue) {
         return defaultValue
     }
 }
+
+
+def getVersionProperty(key) {
+    // tailscale.version is created / updated by the makefile, it is in a loosely
+    // Makfile/envfile format, which is also loosely a properties file format.
+    //      make tailscale.version
+    def versionProps = new Properties()
+    versionProps.load(project.file('../tailscale.version').newDataInputStream())
+    return versionProps.getProperty(key).replaceAll('^\"|\"$', '')
+}
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 9c44a3b628..7b93ba8a8f 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ require (
 	github.com/tailscale/wireguard-go v0.0.0-20240905161824-799c1978fafc
 	golang.org/x/mobile v0.0.0-20240806205939-81131f6468ab
 	inet.af/netaddr v0.0.0-20220617031823-097006376321
-	tailscale.com v1.75.0-pre.0.20241014151013-a8f9c0d6e40a
+	tailscale.com v1.75.0-pre.0.20241018175349-bb60da276468
 )
 
 require (
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index f674216543..e32cbd8bce 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -256,5 +256,5 @@ inet.af/netaddr v0.0.0-20220617031823-097006376321 h1:B4dC8ySKTQXasnjDTMsoCMf1sQ
 inet.af/netaddr v0.0.0-20220617031823-097006376321/go.mod h1:OIezDfdzOgFhuw4HuWapWq2e9l0H9tK4F1j+ETRtF3k=
 software.sslmate.com/src/go-pkcs12 v0.4.0 h1:H2g08FrTvSFKUj+D309j1DPfk5APnIdAQAB8aEykJ5k=
 software.sslmate.com/src/go-pkcs12 v0.4.0/go.mod h1:Qiz0EyvDRJjjxGyUQa2cCNZn/wMyzrRJ/qcDXOQazLI=
-tailscale.com v1.75.0-pre.0.20241014151013-a8f9c0d6e40a h1:nGLKfmPOA8dmMqGUjBDIaUD4RkXo+QpP3TXoAKVwvHU=
-tailscale.com v1.75.0-pre.0.20241014151013-a8f9c0d6e40a/go.mod h1:myCwmhYBvMCF/5OgBYuIW42zscuEo30bAml7wABVZLk=
+tailscale.com v1.75.0-pre.0.20241018175349-bb60da276468 h1:/gmZCsZi5IDP7TsYBfoLdl2/iomYzXoDcj+16/TuBgA=
+tailscale.com v1.75.0-pre.0.20241018175349-bb60da276468/go.mod h1:myCwmhYBvMCF/5OgBYuIW42zscuEo30bAml7wABVZLk=
diff --git a/version-ldflags.sh b/version-ldflags.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..56f006a4c0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/version-ldflags.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+source tailscale.version || echo >&2 "no tailscale.version file found"
+if [[ -z "${VERSION_LONG}" ]]; then
+    exit 1
+fi
+echo "-X tailscale.com/version.longStamp=${VERSION_LONG}"
+echo "-X tailscale.com/version.shortStamp=${VERSION_SHORT}"
+echo "-X tailscale.com/version.gitCommitStamp=${VERSION_GIT_HASH}"
+echo "-X tailscale.com/version.extraGitCommitStamp=${VERSION_EXTRA_HASH}"
diff --git a/version/tailscale-version.sh b/version/tailscale-version.sh
deleted file mode 100755
index adc01dc7b4..0000000000
--- a/version/tailscale-version.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,46 +0,0 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env bash
-
-# Copyright (c) 2020 Tailscale Inc & AUTHORS All rights reserved.
-# Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
-# license that can be found in the LICENSE file.
-
-# Print the version tailscale repository corresponding
-# to the version listed in go.mod.
-
-set -euo pipefail
-
-# use the go toolchain from the tailscale.com
-export TS_USE_TOOLCHAIN=1
-
-go_list=$(go list -m tailscale.com)
-# go list outputs `tailscale.com <version>`. Extract the version.
-mod_version=${go_list#tailscale.com}
-
-if [ -z "$mod_version" ]; then
-	echo >&2 "no version reported by go list -m tailscale.com: $go_list"
-	exit 1
-fi
-
-case "$mod_version" in
-	*-*-*)
-		# A pseudo-version such as "v1.1.1-0.20201030135043-eab6e9ea4e45"
-		# includes the commit hash.
-		mod_version=${mod_version##*-*-}
-		;;
-esac
-
-tailscale_clone=$(mktemp -d -t tailscale-clone-XXXXXXXXXX)
-git clone -q https://github.com/tailscale/tailscale.git "$tailscale_clone"
-
-cd $tailscale_clone
-git reset --hard -q
-git clean -d -x -f
-git fetch -q --all --tags
-git checkout -q ${mod_version}
-
-eval $(./build_dist.sh shellvars)
-git_hash=$(git rev-parse HEAD)
-short_hash=$(echo "$git_hash" | cut -c1-9)
-echo ${VERSION_SHORT}-t${short_hash}
-cd /tmp
-rm -rf "$tailscale_clone"