diff --git a/python/damask/__init__.py b/python/damask/__init__.py
index 4c031758f..b0feee4ac 100644
--- a/python/damask/__init__.py
+++ b/python/damask/__init__.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import re as _re
 name = 'damask'
 with open(_Path(__file__).parent/_Path('VERSION')) as _f:
     version = _re.sub(r'^v','',_f.readline().strip())
+    __version__ = version
 
 # make classes directly accessible as damask.Class
 from ._environment import Environment as _ # noqa