diff --git a/lib/util/Init.cc b/lib/util/Init.cc
index b4ac14b7..45a37a02 100644
--- a/lib/util/Init.cc
+++ b/lib/util/Init.cc
@@ -289,12 +289,7 @@ void Grid_init(int *argc,char ***argv)
     std::cout << "but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of"<<std::endl;
     std::cout << "MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the"<<std::endl;
     std::cout << "GNU General Public License for more details."<<std::endl;
-#ifdef GITHASH
-    std::cout << "Current Grid git commit hash=" << GITHASH << std::endl;
-#else
-    std::cout << "Current Grid git commit hash is undefined. Check makefile." << std::endl;
-#endif
-#undef GITHASH
+    printHash();
     std::cout << std::endl;
   }
 
diff --git a/lib/util/Init.h b/lib/util/Init.h
index 3da00742..c8236dc6 100644
--- a/lib/util/Init.h
+++ b/lib/util/Init.h
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ namespace Grid {
 		       std::vector<int> &simd,
 		       std::vector<int> &mpi);
 
+  void printHash(void);
 
 };
 #endif
diff --git a/lib/util/version.cc b/lib/util/version.cc
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..19759274
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/util/version.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+#include <iostream>
+#include <version.h>
+namespace Grid {
+  void printHash(){
+#ifdef GITHASH
+    std::cout << "Current Grid git commit hash=" << GITHASH << std::endl;
+#else
+    std::cout << "Current Grid git commit hash is undefined. Check makefile." << std::endl;
+#endif
+#undef GITHASH
+}
+}