diff --git a/src/ocrmypdf/__init__.py b/src/ocrmypdf/__init__.py
index 9bbd2aa3..8d779a95 100644
--- a/src/ocrmypdf/__init__.py
+++ b/src/ocrmypdf/__init__.py
@@ -15,16 +15,8 @@
 # You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 # along with OCRmyPDF.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
-import pkg_resources
-
-PROGRAM_NAME = 'ocrmypdf'
-
-# Official PEP 396
-__version__ = pkg_resources.get_distribution('ocrmypdf').version
-
-VERSION = __version__
-
 from . import helpers, hocrtransform, leptonica, pdfa, pdfinfo
+from ._version import PROGRAM_NAME, __version__
 from .api import Verbosity, configure_logging, ocr
 from .exceptions import (
     BadArgsError,
diff --git a/src/ocrmypdf/_pipeline.py b/src/ocrmypdf/_pipeline.py
index 0a846bfd..7af59c02 100644
--- a/src/ocrmypdf/_pipeline.py
+++ b/src/ocrmypdf/_pipeline.py
@@ -26,7 +26,9 @@ import pikepdf
 from pikepdf.models.metadata import encode_pdf_date
 from PIL import Image
 
-from . import PROGRAM_NAME, VERSION, leptonica
+from . import leptonica
+from ._version import PROGRAM_NAME
+from ._version import __version__ as VERSION
 from .exceptions import (
     DpiError,
     EncryptedPdfError,
diff --git a/src/ocrmypdf/_sync.py b/src/ocrmypdf/_sync.py
index 5cb7bd8a..ccedbdc6 100644
--- a/src/ocrmypdf/_sync.py
+++ b/src/ocrmypdf/_sync.py
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ from tempfile import mkdtemp
 
 from tqdm import tqdm
 
-from . import __version__
 from ._graft import OcrGrafter
 from ._jobcontext import PDFContext, cleanup_working_files, make_logger
 from ._pipeline import (
diff --git a/src/ocrmypdf/_version.py b/src/ocrmypdf/_version.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..430f76e7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ocrmypdf/_version.py
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+# © 2017 James R. Barlow: github.com/jbarlow83
+#
+# This file is part of OCRmyPDF.
+#
+# OCRmyPDF is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+# (at your option) any later version.
+#
+# OCRmyPDF is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+# along with OCRmyPDF.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+
+import pkg_resources
+
+PROGRAM_NAME = 'ocrmypdf'
+
+# Official PEP 396
+__version__ = pkg_resources.get_distribution('ocrmypdf').version
diff --git a/src/ocrmypdf/cli.py b/src/ocrmypdf/cli.py
index 2d5b6788..d8a55481 100644
--- a/src/ocrmypdf/cli.py
+++ b/src/ocrmypdf/cli.py
@@ -17,7 +17,8 @@
 
 import argparse
 
-from . import PROGRAM_NAME, VERSION
+from ._version import PROGRAM_NAME as _PROGRAM_NAME
+from ._version import __version__ as _VERSION
 
 
 def numeric(basetype, min_=None, max_=None):
@@ -54,7 +55,7 @@ class ArgumentParser(argparse.ArgumentParser):
 
 
 parser = ArgumentParser(
-    prog=PROGRAM_NAME,
+    prog=_PROGRAM_NAME,
     fromfile_prefix_chars='@',
     formatter_class=argparse.RawDescriptionHelpFormatter,
     description="""\
@@ -167,7 +168,7 @@ parser.add_argument(
 parser.add_argument(
     '--version',
     action='version',
-    version=VERSION,
+    version=_VERSION,
     help="Print program version and exit",
 )