diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 8f073c45ad3..ded0599965b 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 
     <groupId>org.elasticsearch</groupId>
     <artifactId>elasticsearch-alerts</artifactId>
-    <version>1.0.0-beta2i</version>
+    <version>1.0.0-beta2-SNAPSHOT</version>
 
     <parent>
         <groupId>org.sonatype.oss</groupId>
@@ -154,6 +154,12 @@
         </repository>
     </repositories>
     <build>
+        <resources>
+            <resource>
+                <directory>src/main/resources</directory>
+                <filtering>true</filtering>
+            </resource>
+        </resources>
         <plugins>
             <plugin>
                 <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
@@ -389,6 +395,25 @@
                     <skipTests>true</skipTests>
                 </configuration>
             </plugin>
+
+            <plugin>
+                <groupId>org.codehaus.mojo</groupId>
+                <artifactId>buildnumber-maven-plugin</artifactId>
+                <version>1.3</version>
+                <executions>
+                    <execution>
+                        <phase>validate</phase>
+                        <goals>
+                            <goal>create</goal>
+                        </goals>
+                    </execution>
+                </executions>
+                <configuration>
+                    <doCheck>false</doCheck>
+                    <doUpdate>false</doUpdate>
+                </configuration>
+            </plugin>
+
         </plugins>
     </build>
     <profiles>
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/alerts/AlertsBuild.java b/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/alerts/AlertsBuild.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..558bc8aeb25
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/alerts/AlertsBuild.java
@@ -0,0 +1,104 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License;
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
+ */
+package org.elasticsearch.alerts;
+
+import org.elasticsearch.common.io.FastStringReader;
+import org.elasticsearch.common.io.Streams;
+import org.elasticsearch.common.io.stream.StreamInput;
+import org.elasticsearch.common.io.stream.StreamOutput;
+import org.elasticsearch.common.joda.time.DateTimeZone;
+import org.elasticsearch.common.joda.time.format.ISODateTimeFormat;
+
+import java.io.IOException;
+import java.util.Properties;
+
+/**
+ */
+public class AlertsBuild {
+
+    public static final AlertsBuild CURRENT;
+
+    static {
+        String hash = "NA";
+        String hashShort = "NA";
+        String timestamp = "NA";
+
+        try {
+            String properties = Streams.copyToStringFromClasspath("/alerts-build.properties");
+            Properties props = new Properties();
+            props.load(new FastStringReader(properties));
+            hash = props.getProperty("hash", hash);
+            if (!hash.equals("NA")) {
+                hashShort = hash.substring(0, 7);
+            }
+            String gitTimestampRaw = props.getProperty("timestamp");
+            if (gitTimestampRaw != null) {
+                timestamp = ISODateTimeFormat.dateTimeNoMillis().withZone(DateTimeZone.UTC).print(Long.parseLong(gitTimestampRaw));
+            }
+        } catch (Exception e) {
+            // just ignore...
+        }
+
+        CURRENT = new AlertsBuild(hash, hashShort, timestamp);
+    }
+
+    private final String hash;
+    private final String hashShort;
+    private final String timestamp;
+
+    AlertsBuild(String hash, String hashShort, String timestamp) {
+        this.hash = hash;
+        this.hashShort = hashShort;
+        this.timestamp = timestamp;
+    }
+
+    public String hash() {
+        return hash;
+    }
+
+    public String hashShort() {
+        return hashShort;
+    }
+
+    public String timestamp() {
+        return timestamp;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public boolean equals(Object o) {
+        if (this == o) return true;
+        if (o == null || getClass() != o.getClass()) return false;
+
+        AlertsBuild that = (AlertsBuild) o;
+
+        if (!hash.equals(that.hash)) return false;
+        if (!hashShort.equals(that.hashShort)) return false;
+        if (!timestamp.equals(that.timestamp)) return false;
+
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public int hashCode() {
+        int result = hash.hashCode();
+        result = 31 * result + hashShort.hashCode();
+        result = 31 * result + timestamp.hashCode();
+        return result;
+    }
+
+    public static AlertsBuild readBuild(StreamInput in) throws IOException {
+        String hash = in.readString();
+        String hashShort = in.readString();
+        String timestamp = in.readString();
+        return new AlertsBuild(hash, hashShort, timestamp);
+    }
+
+    public static void writeBuild(AlertsBuild build, StreamOutput out) throws IOException {
+        out.writeString(build.hash());
+        out.writeString(build.hashShort());
+        out.writeString(build.timestamp());
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/alerts/AlertsVersion.java b/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/alerts/AlertsVersion.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..b715211fe45
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/alerts/AlertsVersion.java
@@ -0,0 +1,199 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License;
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
+ */
+package org.elasticsearch.alerts;
+
+import org.elasticsearch.Version;
+import org.elasticsearch.common.Nullable;
+import org.elasticsearch.common.Strings;
+import org.elasticsearch.common.io.stream.StreamInput;
+import org.elasticsearch.common.io.stream.StreamOutput;
+
+import java.io.IOException;
+import java.io.Serializable;
+
+/**
+ */
+@SuppressWarnings("deprecation")
+public class AlertsVersion implements Serializable {
+
+    // The logic for ID is: XXYYZZAA, where XX is major version, YY is minor version, ZZ is revision, and AA is Beta/RC indicator
+    // AA values below 50 are beta builds, and below 99 are RC builds, with 99 indicating a release
+    // the (internal) format of the id is there so we can easily do after/before checks on the id
+
+    // The first internal beta has already been released, without this class being here, so we start version version 2.
+    public static final int V_1_0_0_Beta2_ID = /*00*/1000002;
+    public static final AlertsVersion V_1_0_0_Beta2 = new AlertsVersion(V_1_0_0_Beta2_ID, true, Version.V_1_4_0);
+
+    public static final AlertsVersion CURRENT = V_1_0_0_Beta2;
+
+    public static AlertsVersion readVersion(StreamInput in) throws IOException {
+        return fromId(in.readVInt());
+    }
+
+    public static AlertsVersion fromId(int id) {
+        switch (id) {
+            case V_1_0_0_Beta2_ID:
+                return V_1_0_0_Beta2;
+
+            default:
+                return new AlertsVersion(id, null, Version.CURRENT);
+        }
+    }
+
+    public static void writeVersion(AlertsVersion version, StreamOutput out) throws IOException {
+        out.writeVInt(version.id);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Returns the smallest version between the 2.
+     */
+    public static AlertsVersion smallest(AlertsVersion version1, AlertsVersion version2) {
+        return version1.id < version2.id ? version1 : version2;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Returns the version given its string representation, current version if the argument is null or empty
+     */
+    public static AlertsVersion fromString(String version) {
+        if (!Strings.hasLength(version)) {
+            return AlertsVersion.CURRENT;
+        }
+
+        String[] parts = version.split("\\.");
+        if (parts.length < 3 || parts.length > 4) {
+            throw new IllegalArgumentException("the version needs to contain major, minor and revision, and optionally the build");
+        }
+
+        try {
+            //we reverse the version id calculation based on some assumption as we can't reliably reverse the modulo
+            int major = Integer.parseInt(parts[0]) * 1000000;
+            int minor = Integer.parseInt(parts[1]) * 10000;
+            int revision = Integer.parseInt(parts[2]) * 100;
+
+            int build = 99;
+            if (parts.length == 4) {
+                String buildStr = parts[3];
+                if (buildStr.startsWith("Beta")) {
+                    build = Integer.parseInt(buildStr.substring(4));
+                }
+                if (buildStr.startsWith("RC")) {
+                    build = Integer.parseInt(buildStr.substring(2)) + 50;
+                }
+            }
+
+            return fromId(major + minor + revision + build);
+
+        } catch(NumberFormatException e) {
+            throw new IllegalArgumentException("unable to parse version " + version, e);
+        }
+    }
+
+    public final int id;
+    public final byte major;
+    public final byte minor;
+    public final byte revision;
+    public final byte build;
+    public final Boolean snapshot;
+    public final Version minEsCompatibilityVersion;
+    // TODO: Once licencing integration has been completed license version should be added to
+
+    AlertsVersion(int id, @Nullable Boolean snapshot, Version minEsCompatibilityVersion) {
+        this.id = id;
+        this.major = (byte) ((id / 1000000) % 100);
+        this.minor = (byte) ((id / 10000) % 100);
+        this.revision = (byte) ((id / 100) % 100);
+        this.build = (byte) (id % 100);
+        this.snapshot = snapshot;
+        this.minEsCompatibilityVersion = minEsCompatibilityVersion;
+    }
+
+    public boolean snapshot() {
+        return snapshot != null && snapshot;
+    }
+
+    public boolean after(AlertsVersion version) {
+        return version.id < id;
+    }
+
+    public boolean onOrAfter(AlertsVersion version) {
+        return version.id <= id;
+    }
+
+    public boolean before(AlertsVersion version) {
+        return version.id > id;
+    }
+
+    public boolean onOrBefore(AlertsVersion version) {
+        return version.id >= id;
+    }
+
+    public boolean compatibleWith(AlertsVersion version) {
+        return version.onOrAfter(minimumCompatibilityVersion());
+    }
+
+    public boolean compatibleWith(Version esVersion) {
+        return esVersion.onOrAfter(minEsCompatibilityVersion);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Returns the minimum compatible version based on the current
+     * version. Ie a node needs to have at least the return version in order
+     * to communicate with a node running the current version. The returned version
+     * is in most of the cases the smallest major version release unless the current version
+     * is a beta or RC release then the version itself is returned.
+     */
+    public AlertsVersion minimumCompatibilityVersion() {
+        return AlertsVersion.smallest(this, fromId(major * 1000000 + 99));
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @return  The minimum elasticsearch version this shield version is compatible with.
+     */
+    public Version minimumEsCompatiblityVersion() {
+        return minEsCompatibilityVersion;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Just the version number (without -SNAPSHOT if snapshot).
+     */
+    public String number() {
+        StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
+        sb.append(major).append('.').append(minor).append('.').append(revision);
+        if (build < 50) {
+            sb.append(".Beta").append(build);
+        } else if (build < 99) {
+            sb.append(".RC").append(build - 50);
+        }
+        return sb.toString();
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public String toString() {
+        StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
+        sb.append(number());
+        if (snapshot()) {
+            sb.append("-SNAPSHOT");
+        }
+        return sb.toString();
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public boolean equals(Object o) {
+        if (this == o) return true;
+        if (o == null || getClass() != o.getClass()) return false;
+
+        AlertsVersion that = (AlertsVersion) o;
+
+        if (id != that.id) return false;
+
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public int hashCode() {
+        return id;
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/alerts/rest/RestAlertsStatsAction.java b/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/alerts/rest/RestAlertsStatsAction.java
index 49adcf6e8a6..b7a450c9f54 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/alerts/rest/RestAlertsStatsAction.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/alerts/rest/RestAlertsStatsAction.java
@@ -47,6 +47,14 @@ public class RestAlertsStatsAction extends BaseRestHandler {
                         .field("alert_action_queue_size", alertsStatsResponse.getAlertActionManagerQueueSize())
                         .field("number_of_alerts", alertsStatsResponse.getNumberOfRegisteredAlerts())
                         .field("alert_action_queue_max_size", alertsStatsResponse.getAlertActionManagerLargestQueueSize());
+
+                builder.startObject("version")
+                        .field("number", alertsStatsResponse.getVersion().number())
+                        .field("build_hash", alertsStatsResponse.getBuild().hash())
+                        .field("build_timestamp", alertsStatsResponse.getBuild().timestamp())
+                        .field("build_snapshot", alertsStatsResponse.getVersion().snapshot)
+                        .endObject();
+
                 return new BytesRestResponse(OK, builder);
 
             }
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/alerts/transport/actions/stats/AlertsStatsResponse.java b/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/alerts/transport/actions/stats/AlertsStatsResponse.java
index 3db78e8daeb..1617feca354 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/alerts/transport/actions/stats/AlertsStatsResponse.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/alerts/transport/actions/stats/AlertsStatsResponse.java
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@
 package org.elasticsearch.alerts.transport.actions.stats;
 
 import org.elasticsearch.action.ActionResponse;
+import org.elasticsearch.alerts.AlertsBuild;
+import org.elasticsearch.alerts.AlertsVersion;
 import org.elasticsearch.alerts.State;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.io.stream.StreamInput;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.io.stream.StreamOutput;
@@ -17,12 +19,12 @@ import java.io.IOException;
  */
 public class AlertsStatsResponse extends ActionResponse {
 
+    private AlertsVersion version;
+    private AlertsBuild build;
     private long numberOfRegisteredAlerts;
     private State alertManagerState;
     private boolean alertActionManagerStarted;
     private long alertActionManagerQueueSize;
-
-
     private long alertActionManagerLargestQueueSize;
 
     public AlertsStatsResponse() {
@@ -36,11 +38,7 @@ public class AlertsStatsResponse extends ActionResponse {
         return alertActionManagerQueueSize;
     }
 
-    /**
-     * Sets the current size of the alert action queue
-     * @param alertActionManagerQueueSize
-     */
-    public void setAlertActionManagerQueueSize(long alertActionManagerQueueSize) {
+    void setAlertActionManagerQueueSize(long alertActionManagerQueueSize) {
         this.alertActionManagerQueueSize = alertActionManagerQueueSize;
     }
 
@@ -52,11 +50,7 @@ public class AlertsStatsResponse extends ActionResponse {
         return numberOfRegisteredAlerts;
     }
 
-    /**
-     * Set the number of alerts currently registered in the system
-     * @param numberOfRegisteredAlerts
-     */
-    public void setNumberOfRegisteredAlerts(long numberOfRegisteredAlerts) {
+    void setNumberOfRegisteredAlerts(long numberOfRegisteredAlerts) {
         this.numberOfRegisteredAlerts = numberOfRegisteredAlerts;
     }
 
@@ -79,11 +73,7 @@ public class AlertsStatsResponse extends ActionResponse {
         return alertActionManagerStarted;
     }
 
-    /**
-     * Sets if the alert action manager is started
-     * @param alertActionManagerStarted
-     */
-    public void setAlertActionManagerStarted(boolean alertActionManagerStarted) {
+    void setAlertActionManagerStarted(boolean alertActionManagerStarted) {
         this.alertActionManagerStarted = alertActionManagerStarted;
     }
 
@@ -95,14 +85,31 @@ public class AlertsStatsResponse extends ActionResponse {
         return alertActionManagerLargestQueueSize;
     }
 
-    /**
-     * Sets the largest alert action manager queue size
-     * @param alertActionManagerLargestQueueSize
-     */
-    public void setAlertActionManagerLargestQueueSize(long alertActionManagerLargestQueueSize) {
+    void setAlertActionManagerLargestQueueSize(long alertActionManagerLargestQueueSize) {
         this.alertActionManagerLargestQueueSize = alertActionManagerLargestQueueSize;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * @return The alerts plugin version.
+     */
+    public AlertsVersion getVersion() {
+        return version;
+    }
+
+    void setVersion(AlertsVersion version) {
+        this.version = version;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @return The alerts plugin build information.
+     */
+    public AlertsBuild getBuild() {
+        return build;
+    }
+
+    void setBuild(AlertsBuild build) {
+        this.build = build;
+    }
 
     @Override
     public void readFrom(StreamInput in) throws IOException {
@@ -112,6 +119,8 @@ public class AlertsStatsResponse extends ActionResponse {
         alertActionManagerLargestQueueSize = in.readLong();
         alertManagerState = State.fromId(in.readByte());
         alertActionManagerStarted = in.readBoolean();
+        version = AlertsVersion.readVersion(in);
+        build = AlertsBuild.readBuild(in);
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -122,5 +131,7 @@ public class AlertsStatsResponse extends ActionResponse {
         out.writeLong(alertActionManagerLargestQueueSize);
         out.writeByte(alertManagerState.getId());
         out.writeBoolean(alertActionManagerStarted);
+        AlertsVersion.writeVersion(version, out);
+        AlertsBuild.writeBuild(build, out);
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/alerts/transport/actions/stats/TransportAlertStatsAction.java b/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/alerts/transport/actions/stats/TransportAlertStatsAction.java
index 6740ff78bb5..71229822545 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/alerts/transport/actions/stats/TransportAlertStatsAction.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/alerts/transport/actions/stats/TransportAlertStatsAction.java
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ import org.elasticsearch.action.support.ActionFilters;
 import org.elasticsearch.action.support.master.TransportMasterNodeOperationAction;
 import org.elasticsearch.alerts.AlertService;
 import org.elasticsearch.alerts.actions.AlertActionService;
+import org.elasticsearch.alerts.AlertsBuild;
+import org.elasticsearch.alerts.AlertsVersion;
 import org.elasticsearch.cluster.ClusterService;
 import org.elasticsearch.cluster.ClusterState;
 import org.elasticsearch.cluster.block.ClusterBlockException;
@@ -60,6 +62,8 @@ public class TransportAlertStatsAction extends TransportMasterNodeOperationActio
         statsResponse.setAlertActionManagerQueueSize(alertActionService.getQueueSize());
         statsResponse.setNumberOfRegisteredAlerts(alertService.getNumberOfAlerts());
         statsResponse.setAlertActionManagerLargestQueueSize(alertActionService.getLargestQueueSize());
+        statsResponse.setVersion(AlertsVersion.CURRENT);
+        statsResponse.setBuild(AlertsBuild.CURRENT);
         listener.onResponse(statsResponse);
     }
 
diff --git a/src/main/resources/alerts-build.properties b/src/main/resources/alerts-build.properties
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..f3ad519cedb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/resources/alerts-build.properties
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+version=${project.version}
+hash=${buildNumber}
+timestamp=${timestamp}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/alerts/actions/AlertStatsTests.java b/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/alerts/actions/AlertStatsTests.java
index f86bd051bf2..a59dfd16df0 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/alerts/actions/AlertStatsTests.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/alerts/actions/AlertStatsTests.java
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ package org.elasticsearch.alerts.actions;
 
 import org.elasticsearch.action.search.SearchRequest;
 import org.elasticsearch.alerts.AbstractAlertingTests;
+import org.elasticsearch.alerts.AlertsBuild;
+import org.elasticsearch.alerts.AlertsVersion;
 import org.elasticsearch.alerts.State;
 import org.elasticsearch.alerts.client.AlertsClient;
 import org.elasticsearch.alerts.transport.actions.stats.AlertsStatsRequest;
@@ -38,6 +40,8 @@ public class AlertStatsTests extends AbstractAlertingTests {
         assertThat(response.getAlertActionManagerQueueSize(), equalTo(0L));
         assertThat(response.getNumberOfRegisteredAlerts(), equalTo(0L));
         assertThat(response.getAlertActionManagerLargestQueueSize(), equalTo(0L));
+        assertThat(response.getVersion(), equalTo(AlertsVersion.CURRENT));
+        assertThat(response.getBuild(), equalTo(AlertsBuild.CURRENT));
     }
 
     @Test