diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 1e7f3b0..f758bec 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 .PHONY: debian
 
 VERSION = $(shell git describe --tags)
+DATE = $(shell date +%Y.%m.%d)
 
 run: build
 	./go-deb --repo go.wit.com/apps/autotypist
@@ -17,11 +18,11 @@ build:
 	touch resources/blank.so
 	-cp -a ~/go/src/go.wit.com/toolkits/*.so resources/ # embed the toolkit plugins
 	GO111MODULE="off" go build -v \
-		    -ldflags "-X main.VERSION=${VERSION} -X gui.GUIVERSION=${VERSION}"
+		    -ldflags "-X main.VERSION=${VERSION} -X main.DATE=${DATE} -X gui.GUIVERSION=${VERSION}"
 
 install:
 	GO111MODULE="off" go install -v \
-		    -ldflags "-X main.VERSION=${VERSION} -X gui.GUIVERSION=${VERSION}"
+		    -ldflags "-X main.VERSION=${VERSION} -X main.DATE=${DATE} -X gui.GUIVERSION=${VERSION}"
 
 goimports:
 	goimports -w *.go
diff --git a/argv.go b/argv.go
index f7697d3..db8134e 100644
--- a/argv.go
+++ b/argv.go
@@ -34,5 +34,5 @@ func init() {
 }
 
 func (args) Version() string {
-	return "go-clone " + VERSION
+	return "go-clone " + VERSION + "    Built on " + DATE
 }
diff --git a/buildPackage.go b/buildPackage.go
index 498662e..8d3bba2 100644
--- a/buildPackage.go
+++ b/buildPackage.go
@@ -72,14 +72,19 @@ func (c *controlBox) buildPackage() (bool, error) {
 		os.Setenv("GO111MODULE", "off")
 		cmd := []string{"go", "build", "-v", "-x"}
 
+		// set standard ldflag options
+		now := time.Now()
+		datestamp := now.UTC().Format("2006/01/02_1504_UTC")
+		log.Info("datestamp =", datestamp)
 		// add some standard golang flags
-		vldflag := "-X main.VERSION=" + version
-		gldflag := "-X main.GUIVERSION=" + version // todo: git this from the filesystem
-		// timeflag := "-X main.BUILDTIME='${BUILDTIME}'"
-		cmd = append(cmd, "-ldflags", vldflag)
-		cmd = append(cmd, "-ldflags", gldflag)
+		ldflags := "-X main.VERSION=" + version + " "
+		ldflags += "-X main.BUILDTIME=" + datestamp + " "
+		ldflags += "-X main.GUIVERSION=" + version + "" // todo: git this from the filesystem
+		cmd = append(cmd, "-ldflags", ldflags)
 
 		// add any flags from the command line
+		// this might not actually work
+		// todo: test this
 		for _, flag := range argv.Ldflags {
 			cmd = append(cmd, "-ldflags", "-X "+flag)
 		}
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 4f30d19..26bc80a 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import (
 
 // sent from -ldflags
 var VERSION string
+var DATE string
 
 // This is the beginning of the binary tree of GUI widgets
 var myGui *gui.Node
@@ -27,8 +28,6 @@ var basicWindow *gadgets.BasicWindow
 var resources embed.FS
 
 func main() {
-	// RunTest()
-	// os.Exit(0)
 	if argv.Repo == "" {
 		log.Info("You need to tell me what repo you want to work on")
 		println("")