diff --git a/ion/Makefile b/ion/Makefile
index e0bc162ec..8c8df523a 100644
--- a/ion/Makefile
+++ b/ion/Makefile
@@ -1,15 +1,16 @@
 GIT := $(shell command -v git 2> /dev/null)
 PATCH_LEVEL = NONE
 ifdef GIT
-  PATCH_LEVEL = `git rev-parse HEAD`
+  PATCH_LEVEL = `git rev-parse --short HEAD`
 endif
 
 SFLAGS += -Iion/include -DKD_CONFIG_H=1
-ion/src/shared/software_version.o: SFLAGS += -DPATCH_LEVEL=$(PATCH_LEVEL) -DVERSION=$(VERSION)
-include ion/src/$(PLATFORM)/Makefile
 
+include ion/src/$(PLATFORM)/Makefile
 include ion/src/shared/tools/Makefile
 
+ion/src/shared/software_version.o: SFLAGS += -DPATCH_LEVEL=$(PATCH_LEVEL) -DVERSION=$(VERSION)
+
 objs += $(addprefix ion/src/shared/, \
   events.o \
   software_version.o \
diff --git a/ion/src/device/Makefile b/ion/src/device/Makefile
index 168a943da..9db5907ec 100644
--- a/ion/src/device/Makefile
+++ b/ion/src/device/Makefile
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 include ion/src/device/boot/Makefile
 include ion/src/device/bench/Makefile
 
+ion/src/shared/software_version.o: SFLAGS += -DHEADER_SECTION="__attribute__((section(\".header\")))"
+
 objs += $(addprefix ion/src/shared/, \
   console_line.o \
   events_keyboard.o \
diff --git a/ion/src/device/boot/flash.ld b/ion/src/device/boot/flash.ld
index fc68ffec2..e5ddcc9e4 100644
--- a/ion/src/device/boot/flash.ld
+++ b/ion/src/device/boot/flash.ld
@@ -34,6 +34,10 @@ SECTIONS {
     KEEP(*(.isr_vector_table))
   } >FLASH
 
+  .header : {
+    KEEP(*(.header))
+  } >FLASH
+
   .text : {
     . = ALIGN(4);
     *(.text)
diff --git a/ion/src/shared/software_version.cpp b/ion/src/shared/software_version.cpp
index 522e83fcf..9ec9030e9 100644
--- a/ion/src/shared/software_version.cpp
+++ b/ion/src/shared/software_version.cpp
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #include <ion.h>
+#include <assert.h>
 
 #define STR_EXPAND(arg) #arg
 #define STR(arg) STR_EXPAND(arg)
@@ -7,14 +8,41 @@
 #error This file expects PATCH_LEVEL to be defined
 #endif
 
+#ifndef HEADER_SECTION
+#define HEADER_SECTION
+#endif
+
+class VersionInfo {
+public:
+  constexpr VersionInfo() :
+    m_header(Magic),
+    m_version(STR(VERSION)),
+    m_patchLevel(STR(PATCH_LEVEL)),
+    m_footer(Magic) { }
+  const char * version() const {
+    assert(m_header == Magic);
+    assert(m_footer == Magic);
+    return m_version;
+  }
+  const char * patchLevel() const {
+    assert(m_header == Magic);
+    assert(m_footer == Magic);
+    return m_patchLevel;
+  }
+private:
+  constexpr static uint32_t Magic = 0xDEC00DF0;
+  uint32_t m_header;
+  const char m_version[8];
+  const char m_patchLevel[8];
+  uint32_t m_footer;
+};
+
+constexpr VersionInfo HEADER_SECTION version_infos;
+
 const char * Ion::softwareVersion() {
-  return STR(VERSION);
+  return version_infos.version();
 }
 
 const char * Ion::patchLevel() {
-  static char patchLevel[20] = {0};
-  if (patchLevel[0] == 0) {
-    strlcpy(patchLevel, STR(PATCH_LEVEL), 6+1);
-  }
-  return patchLevel;
+  return version_infos.patchLevel();
 }