diff --git a/python/damask/VERSION b/python/damask/VERSION
new file mode 120000
index 000000000..558194c5a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/python/damask/VERSION
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+../../VERSION
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/python/damask/__init__.py b/python/damask/__init__.py
index d7ed4a9f9..a57d450d8 100644
--- a/python/damask/__init__.py
+++ b/python/damask/__init__.py
@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@
 """Main aggregator"""
 import os
 
-with open(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__),'../../VERSION')) as f:
-  version = f.readline()[:-1]
+with open(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__),'VERSION')) as f:
+  version = f.readline()[1:-1]
 
 name = 'damask'