diff --git a/comptime.bat b/comptime.bat
index 23ee7ea55..b8450ff64 100644
--- a/comptime.bat
+++ b/comptime.bat
@@ -1,10 +1,30 @@
 @ECHO OFF
-set REV=Unknown
+set BRA=Unknown
+set REV=illegal
+
 copy nul: /b +%1\comptime.c tmp.$$$ > nul
 move tmp.$$$ %1\comptime.c > nul
-SET REV=illegal
-FOR /F "usebackq" %%s IN (`svnversion %1`) DO @SET REV=%%s
+
+if exist .git goto gitrev
+if exist .svn goto svnrev
+goto filwri
+
+:gitrev
+set GIT=%2
+if "%GIT%"=="" set GIT=git
+FOR /F "usebackq" %%s IN (`%GIT% rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD`) DO @SET BRA=%%s
+FOR /F "usebackq" %%s IN (`%GIT% rev-parse HEAD`) DO @SET REV=%%s
+set REV=%REV:~0,8%
+goto filwri
+
+:svnrev
+set BRA=Subversion
+FOR /F "usebackq" %%s IN (`svnversion .`) DO @SET REV=%%s
+goto filwri
+
+:filwri
 ECHO // Do not edit!  This file was autogenerated > %1\comptime.h
 ECHO // by the %0 batch file >> %1\comptime.h
 ECHO // >> %1\comptime.h
-ECHO const char* comprevision = "r%REV%"; >> %1\comptime.h
+ECHO const char* compbranch = "%BRA%"; >> %1\comptime.h
+ECHO const char* comprevision = "%REV%"; >> %1\comptime.h
diff --git a/comptime.sh b/comptime.sh
index 703bb2d35..71c5f08aa 100755
--- a/comptime.sh
+++ b/comptime.sh
@@ -5,13 +5,15 @@ if [ x"$1" != x ]; then
 fi
 
 versiongit() {
-	gitversion=`git describe`
+	gitbranch=`git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD`
+	gitversion=`git rev-parse HEAD`
 	cat <<EOF > $path/comptime.h
 
 // Do not edit!  This file was autogenerated
-// by the $0 script with git svn
+// by the $0 script with git
 //
-const char* comprevision = "$gitversion";
+const char* compbranch = "$gitbranch";
+const char* comprevision = "${gitversion:0:8}";
 EOF
 exit 0
 }
@@ -23,6 +25,7 @@ versionsvn() {
 // Do not edit!  This file was autogenerated
 // by the $0 script with subversion
 //
+const char* compbranch = "Subversion";
 const char* comprevision = "r$svnrevision";
 EOF
 exit 0
@@ -34,6 +37,7 @@ versionfake() {
 // Do not edit!  This file was autogenerated
 // by the $0 script with an unknown or nonexist SCM
 //
+const char* compbranch = "Unknown";
 const char* comprevision = "illegal";
 EOF
 }
diff --git a/src/comptime.c b/src/comptime.c
index a4dc5b0f9..9f1fe2f71 100644
--- a/src/comptime.c
+++ b/src/comptime.c
@@ -9,12 +9,14 @@
 
 #if (defined(CMAKECONFIG))
 #include "config.h"
+const char *compbranch = ""; // hell if I know what to do with cmake
 const char *comprevision = SRB2_COMP_REVISION;
 
 #elif (defined(COMPVERSION))
 #include "comptime.h"
 
 #else
+const char *compbranch = "Unknown";
 const char *comprevision = "illegal";
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/d_netcmd.c b/src/d_netcmd.c
index 266161c7c..30208422f 100644
--- a/src/d_netcmd.c
+++ b/src/d_netcmd.c
@@ -3179,7 +3179,11 @@ static void Command_ListWADS_f(void)
   */
 static void Command_Version_f(void)
 {
+#ifdef DEVELOP
+	CONS_Printf("Sonic Robo Blast 2 %s-%s (%s %s)\n", compbranch, comprevision, compdate, comptime);
+#else
 	CONS_Printf("Sonic Robo Blast 2 %s (%s %s %s)\n", VERSIONSTRING, compdate, comptime, comprevision);
+#endif
 }
 
 #ifdef UPDATE_ALERT
diff --git a/src/doomdef.h b/src/doomdef.h
index e4b426ebc..fe7fad8ae 100644
--- a/src/doomdef.h
+++ b/src/doomdef.h
@@ -141,7 +141,10 @@ extern FILE *logstream;
 #if 0
 #define VERSION    0 // Game version
 #define SUBVERSION 0 // more precise version number
-#define VERSIONSTRING "Trunk"
+#define VERSIONSTRING "Development EXE"
+#define VERSIONSTRINGW L"Development EXE"
+// most interface strings are ignored in development mode.
+// we use comprevision and compbranch instead.
 #else
 #define VERSION    201 // Game version
 #define SUBVERSION 14  // more precise version number
@@ -413,7 +416,7 @@ INT32 I_GetKey(void);
 #endif
 
 // Compile date and time and revision.
-extern const char *compdate, *comptime, *comprevision;
+extern const char *compdate, *comptime, *comprevision, *compbranch;
 
 // Disabled code and code under testing
 // None of these that are disabled in the normal build are guaranteed to work perfectly
diff --git a/src/m_menu.c b/src/m_menu.c
index 1e7745535..780de7ad5 100644
--- a/src/m_menu.c
+++ b/src/m_menu.c
@@ -2463,11 +2463,14 @@ void M_Drawer(void)
 			V_DrawThinString(vid.dupx, vid.height - 9*vid.dupy, V_NOSCALESTART|V_TRANSLUCENT|V_ALLOWLOWERCASE, customversionstring);
 		}
 		else
-#if VERSION > 0 || SUBVERSION > 0
+		{
+#ifdef DEVELOP // Development -- show revision / branch info
+			V_DrawThinString(vid.dupx, vid.height - 17*vid.dupy, V_NOSCALESTART|V_TRANSLUCENT|V_ALLOWLOWERCASE, compbranch);
+			V_DrawThinString(vid.dupx, vid.height - 9*vid.dupy,  V_NOSCALESTART|V_TRANSLUCENT|V_ALLOWLOWERCASE, comprevision);
+#else // Regular build
 			V_DrawThinString(vid.dupx, vid.height - 9*vid.dupy, V_NOSCALESTART|V_TRANSLUCENT|V_ALLOWLOWERCASE, va("%s", VERSIONSTRING));
-#else // Trunk build, show revision info
-			V_DrawThinString(vid.dupx, vid.height - 9*vid.dupy, V_NOSCALESTART|V_TRANSLUCENT|V_ALLOWLOWERCASE, va("%s (%s)", VERSIONSTRING, comprevision));
 #endif
+		}
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/src/m_misc.c b/src/m_misc.c
index 21728792f..22effdddf 100644
--- a/src/m_misc.c
+++ b/src/m_misc.c
@@ -1800,16 +1800,14 @@ UINT8 M_HighestBit(UINT32 num)
 
 const char *GetRevisionString(void)
 {
-	INT32 vinfo;
-	static char rev[8] = {0};
+	static char rev[9] = {0};
 	if (rev[0])
 		return rev;
 
-	vinfo = atoi(&comprevision[1]);
-	if (vinfo)
-		snprintf(rev, 7, "r%d", vinfo);
+	if (comprevision[0] == 'r')
+		strncpy(rev, comprevision, 7);
 	else
-		strcpy(rev, "rNULL");
+		snprintf(rev, 7, "r%s", comprevision);
 	rev[7] = '\0';
 
 	return rev;