diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 16fda46f7..dcd3ec2b7 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -1244,6 +1244,8 @@ version = "1.1.18"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "b62ac837cdb5cb22e10a256099b4fc502b1dfe560cb282963a974d7abd80e476"
 dependencies = [
+ "jobserver",
+ "libc",
  "shlex",
 ]
 
@@ -2368,6 +2370,19 @@ version = "0.31.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "32085ea23f3234fc7846555e85283ba4de91e21016dc0455a16286d87a292d64"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "git2"
+version = "0.19.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "b903b73e45dc0c6c596f2d37eccece7c1c8bb6e4407b001096387c63d0d93724"
+dependencies = [
+ "bitflags 2.6.0",
+ "libc",
+ "libgit2-sys",
+ "log",
+ "url",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "glob"
 version = "0.3.1"
@@ -2770,6 +2785,15 @@ dependencies = [
  "libc",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "jobserver"
+version = "0.1.32"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "48d1dbcbbeb6a7fec7e059840aa538bd62aaccf972c7346c4d9d2059312853d0"
+dependencies = [
+ "libc",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "js-sys"
 version = "0.3.70"
@@ -2856,6 +2880,18 @@ version = "0.2.158"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "d8adc4bb1803a324070e64a98ae98f38934d91957a99cfb3a43dcbc01bc56439"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "libgit2-sys"
+version = "0.17.0+1.8.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "10472326a8a6477c3c20a64547b0059e4b0d086869eee31e6d7da728a8eb7224"
+dependencies = [
+ "cc",
+ "libc",
+ "libz-sys",
+ "pkg-config",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "libm"
 version = "0.2.8"
@@ -2884,6 +2920,18 @@ dependencies = [
  "threadpool",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "libz-sys"
+version = "1.1.20"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "d2d16453e800a8cf6dd2fc3eb4bc99b786a9b90c663b8559a5b1a041bf89e472"
+dependencies = [
+ "cc",
+ "libc",
+ "pkg-config",
+ "vcpkg",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "linkme"
 version = "0.3.28"
@@ -5294,12 +5342,26 @@ checksum = "c32e7318e93a9ac53693b6caccfb05ff22e04a44c7cf8a279051f24c09da286f"
 dependencies = [
  "anyhow",
  "derive_builder",
- "rustc_version 0.4.1",
  "rustversion",
  "time",
  "vergen-lib",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "vergen-git2"
+version = "1.0.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "a62c52cd2b2b8b7ec75fc20111b3022ac3ff83e4fc14b9497cfcfd39c54f9c67"
+dependencies = [
+ "anyhow",
+ "derive_builder",
+ "git2",
+ "rustversion",
+ "time",
+ "vergen",
+ "vergen-lib",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "vergen-lib"
 version = "0.1.3"
@@ -5753,7 +5815,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "tracing",
  "tracing-subscriber",
  "url",
- "vergen",
+ "vergen-git2",
  "zk_evm_common",
 ]
 
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 5bbffbb10..45f521447 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -51,7 +51,6 @@ criterion = "0.5.1"
 dotenvy = "0.15.7"
 either = "1.12.0"
 enum-as-inner = "0.6.0"
-enumn = "0.1.13"
 env_logger = "0.11.3"
 eth_trie = "0.4.0"
 ethereum-types = "0.14.1"
@@ -88,7 +87,6 @@ serde = "1.0.203"
 serde-big-array = "0.5.1"
 serde_json = "1.0.118"
 serde_path_to_error = "0.1.16"
-serde_with = "3.8.1"
 sha2 = "0.10.8"
 static_assertions = "1.1.0"
 thiserror = "1.0.61"
@@ -101,7 +99,6 @@ tracing-subscriber = { version = "0.3", features = ["env-filter"] }
 u4 = "0.1.0"
 uint = "0.9.5"
 url = "2.5.2"
-vergen = { version = "9.0.0", features = ["build", "rustc"] }
 winnow = "0.6.13"
 
 # local dependencies
diff --git a/zero/Cargo.toml b/zero/Cargo.toml
index 109cb1f28..7086ecbd6 100644
--- a/zero/Cargo.toml
+++ b/zero/Cargo.toml
@@ -40,7 +40,6 @@ tower = { workspace = true, features = ["retry"] }
 tracing = { workspace = true }
 tracing-subscriber = { workspace = true }
 url = { workspace = true }
-vergen = { workspace = true }
 
 # Local dependencies
 compat = { workspace = true }
@@ -57,7 +56,7 @@ jemallocator = "0.5.4"
 [build-dependencies]
 anyhow = { workspace = true }
 cargo_metadata = { workspace = true }
-vergen = { workspace = true }
+vergen-git2 = { version = "1.0.0", features = ["build"] }
 
 
 [features]
diff --git a/zero/build.rs b/zero/build.rs
index c3e7b006d..53799224d 100644
--- a/zero/build.rs
+++ b/zero/build.rs
@@ -1,30 +1,9 @@
-use anyhow::Context as _;
-use vergen::{BuildBuilder, Emitter, RustcBuilder};
+use vergen_git2::{BuildBuilder, Emitter, Git2Builder};
 
-fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
-    let build_timestamp = BuildBuilder::default().build_timestamp(true).build()?;
-    let rust_commit_hash = RustcBuilder::default().commit_hash(true).build()?;
-
-    Emitter::default()
-        .add_instructions(&build_timestamp)?
-        .add_instructions(&rust_commit_hash)?
+fn main() -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
+    Emitter::new()
+        .add_instructions(&BuildBuilder::default().build_timestamp(true).build()?)?
+        .add_instructions(&Git2Builder::default().describe(true, true, None).build()?)?
         .emit()?;
-
-    let meta = cargo_metadata::MetadataCommand::new()
-        .exec()
-        .context("failed to probe cargo-metadata")?;
-    let version = &meta
-        .packages
-        .iter()
-        .find(|it| it.name == "evm_arithmetization")
-        .context("couldn't find evm_arithmetization package")?
-        .version;
-    println!(
-        "cargo::rustc-env=EVM_ARITHMETIZATION_PKG_VER={}.{}.x",
-        // patch version change should not prompt circuits regeneration
-        version.major,
-        version.minor
-    );
-
     Ok(())
 }
diff --git a/zero/src/bin/leader.rs b/zero/src/bin/leader.rs
index e01465c29..abf19bde3 100644
--- a/zero/src/bin/leader.rs
+++ b/zero/src/bin/leader.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 zk_evm_common::check_chain_features!();
 
-use std::env;
 use std::sync::Arc;
 
 use anyhow::Result;
@@ -15,7 +14,6 @@ use zero::{
     block_interval::BlockInterval, prover_state::persistence::set_circuit_cache_dir_env_if_not_set,
 };
 use zero::{fs::get_previous_proof, ops::register};
-use zero::{prover_state::persistence::CIRCUIT_VERSION, version};
 
 use self::leader::*;
 use crate::client::{client_main, LeaderConfig};
@@ -32,17 +30,6 @@ async fn main() -> Result<()> {
     set_circuit_cache_dir_env_if_not_set()?;
     zero::tracing::init();
 
-    let args: Vec<String> = env::args().collect();
-
-    if args.contains(&"--version".to_string()) {
-        version::print_version(
-            CIRCUIT_VERSION.as_str(),
-            env!("VERGEN_RUSTC_COMMIT_HASH"),
-            env!("VERGEN_BUILD_TIMESTAMP"),
-        );
-        return Ok(());
-    }
-
     let args = cli::Cli::parse();
 
     if let Command::Clean = args.command {
diff --git a/zero/src/bin/leader/cli.rs b/zero/src/bin/leader/cli.rs
index ee45c946f..3569efc41 100644
--- a/zero/src/bin/leader/cli.rs
+++ b/zero/src/bin/leader/cli.rs
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ use zero::rpc::RpcType;
 
 /// zero-bin leader config
 #[derive(Parser)]
+#[command(version = zero::version(), propagate_version = true)]
 pub(crate) struct Cli {
     #[command(subcommand)]
     pub(crate) command: Command,
diff --git a/zero/src/bin/rpc.rs b/zero/src/bin/rpc.rs
index 5f9d9c276..9c6baa535 100644
--- a/zero/src/bin/rpc.rs
+++ b/zero/src/bin/rpc.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-use std::env;
 use std::sync::Arc;
 
 use alloy::primitives::B256;
@@ -11,11 +10,11 @@ use clap::{Args, Parser, Subcommand, ValueHint};
 use futures::StreamExt;
 use tracing_subscriber::{prelude::*, EnvFilter};
 use url::Url;
+use zero::block_interval::BlockInterval;
 use zero::block_interval::BlockIntervalStream;
 use zero::prover::BlockProverInput;
 use zero::provider::CachedProvider;
-use zero::{block_interval::BlockInterval, prover_state::persistence::CIRCUIT_VERSION};
-use zero::{rpc, version};
+use zero::rpc;
 
 use self::rpc::{retry::build_http_retry_provider, RpcType};
 
@@ -68,6 +67,7 @@ enum Command {
 }
 
 #[derive(Parser)]
+#[command(version = zero::version(), propagate_version = true)]
 struct Cli {
     #[clap(flatten)]
     pub(crate) config: RpcToolConfig,
@@ -203,16 +203,6 @@ impl Cli {
 
 #[tokio::main]
 async fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
-    let args: Vec<String> = env::args().collect();
-    if args.contains(&"--version".to_string()) {
-        version::print_version(
-            CIRCUIT_VERSION.as_str(),
-            env!("VERGEN_RUSTC_COMMIT_HASH"),
-            env!("VERGEN_BUILD_TIMESTAMP"),
-        );
-        return Ok(());
-    }
-
     tracing_subscriber::Registry::default()
         .with(
             tracing_subscriber::fmt::layer()
diff --git a/zero/src/bin/verifier.rs b/zero/src/bin/verifier.rs
index a7d80197a..7c5a671be 100644
--- a/zero/src/bin/verifier.rs
+++ b/zero/src/bin/verifier.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 zk_evm_common::check_chain_features!();
 
-use std::env;
 use std::fs::File;
 
 use anyhow::Result;
@@ -9,10 +8,7 @@ use dotenvy::dotenv;
 use proof_gen::proof_types::GeneratedBlockProof;
 use serde_json::Deserializer;
 use tracing::info;
-use zero::{
-    prover_state::persistence::{set_circuit_cache_dir_env_if_not_set, CIRCUIT_VERSION},
-    version,
-};
+use zero::prover_state::persistence::set_circuit_cache_dir_env_if_not_set;
 
 use self::verifier::*;
 mod verifier {
@@ -25,16 +21,6 @@ fn main() -> Result<()> {
     init::tracing();
     set_circuit_cache_dir_env_if_not_set()?;
 
-    let args: Vec<String> = env::args().collect();
-    if args.contains(&"--version".to_string()) {
-        version::print_version(
-            CIRCUIT_VERSION.as_str(),
-            env!("VERGEN_RUSTC_COMMIT_HASH"),
-            env!("VERGEN_BUILD_TIMESTAMP"),
-        );
-        return Ok(());
-    }
-
     let args = cli::Cli::parse();
 
     let file = File::open(args.file_path)?;
diff --git a/zero/src/bin/verifier/cli.rs b/zero/src/bin/verifier/cli.rs
index 157674130..8c046d85c 100644
--- a/zero/src/bin/verifier/cli.rs
+++ b/zero/src/bin/verifier/cli.rs
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ use clap::{Parser, ValueHint};
 use zero::prover_state::cli::CliProverStateConfig;
 
 #[derive(Parser)]
+#[command(version = zero::version(), propagate_version = true)]
 pub(crate) struct Cli {
     /// The file containing the proof to verify
     #[arg(short, long, value_hint = ValueHint::FilePath)]
diff --git a/zero/src/bin/worker.rs b/zero/src/bin/worker.rs
index 1d941341f..096863a53 100644
--- a/zero/src/bin/worker.rs
+++ b/zero/src/bin/worker.rs
@@ -1,14 +1,11 @@
-use std::env;
-
 use anyhow::Result;
 use clap::Parser;
 use dotenvy::dotenv;
 use paladin::runtime::WorkerRuntime;
 use zero::prover_state::{
-    cli::CliProverStateConfig,
-    persistence::{set_circuit_cache_dir_env_if_not_set, CIRCUIT_VERSION},
+    cli::CliProverStateConfig, persistence::set_circuit_cache_dir_env_if_not_set,
 };
-use zero::{ops::register, tracing, version};
+use zero::{ops::register, tracing};
 
 // TODO: https://github.com/0xPolygonZero/zk_evm/issues/302
 //       this should probably be removed.
@@ -17,6 +14,7 @@ use zero::{ops::register, tracing, version};
 static GLOBAL: jemallocator::Jemalloc = jemallocator::Jemalloc;
 
 #[derive(Parser)]
+#[command(version = zero::version(), propagate_version = true)]
 struct Cli {
     #[clap(flatten)]
     paladin: paladin::config::Config,
@@ -26,16 +24,6 @@ struct Cli {
 
 #[tokio::main]
 async fn main() -> Result<()> {
-    let args: Vec<String> = env::args().collect();
-    if args.contains(&"--version".to_string()) {
-        version::print_version(
-            CIRCUIT_VERSION.as_str(),
-            env!("VERGEN_RUSTC_COMMIT_HASH"),
-            env!("VERGEN_BUILD_TIMESTAMP"),
-        );
-        return Ok(());
-    }
-
     dotenv().ok();
     tracing::init();
     set_circuit_cache_dir_env_if_not_set()?;
diff --git a/zero/src/lib.rs b/zero/src/lib.rs
index 3dc34d421..88f376fc7 100644
--- a/zero/src/lib.rs
+++ b/zero/src/lib.rs
@@ -12,10 +12,18 @@ pub mod prover_state;
 pub mod provider;
 pub mod rpc;
 pub mod tracing;
-pub mod version;
 
 /// Size of the channel used to send block prover inputs to the per block
 /// proving task. If the proving task is slow and can not consume inputs fast
 /// enough retrieval of the block prover inputs will block until the proving
 /// task consumes some of the inputs.
 pub const BLOCK_CHANNEL_SIZE: usize = 16;
+
+/// Common information for the `--version` CLI flags.
+pub fn version() -> String {
+    let pkg_name = env!("CARGO_PKG_NAME");
+    let git_describe = env!("VERGEN_GIT_DESCRIBE");
+    let timestamp = env!("VERGEN_BUILD_TIMESTAMP");
+    let kernel_hash = &**prover_state::persistence::KERNEL_HASH;
+    format!("{pkg_name} ({git_describe}) (kernel hash: {kernel_hash}) [built: {timestamp}]")
+}
diff --git a/zero/src/prover_state/persistence.rs b/zero/src/prover_state/persistence.rs
index 6096b7ab1..cd3f9a043 100644
--- a/zero/src/prover_state/persistence.rs
+++ b/zero/src/prover_state/persistence.rs
@@ -35,8 +35,14 @@ const KERNEL_HASH_PREFIX: usize = 8;
 /// kernel to determine if the circuit is compatible with our current binary. If
 /// the kernel hash of the circuit that we are loading in from disk differs,
 /// then using these circuits would cause failures during proof generation
-pub static CIRCUIT_VERSION: Lazy<String> =
-    Lazy::new(|| hex::encode(KERNEL.hash())[..KERNEL_HASH_PREFIX].to_string());
+pub static KERNEL_HASH: Lazy<&'static str> = Lazy::new(|| {
+    String::leak(
+        hex::encode(KERNEL.hash())
+            .chars()
+            .take(KERNEL_HASH_PREFIX)
+            .collect(),
+    )
+});
 
 fn get_serializers() -> (
     DefaultGateSerializer,
@@ -126,7 +132,7 @@ impl DiskResource for BaseProverResource {
             "{}/{}_base_{}_{}",
             circuit_dir(),
             PROVER_STATE_FILE_PREFIX,
-            *CIRCUIT_VERSION,
+            *KERNEL_HASH,
             p.get_configuration_digest()
         )
     }
@@ -162,7 +168,7 @@ impl DiskResource for MonolithicProverResource {
             "{}/{}_monolithic_{}_{}",
             circuit_dir(),
             PROVER_STATE_FILE_PREFIX,
-            *CIRCUIT_VERSION,
+            *KERNEL_HASH,
             p.get_configuration_digest()
         )
     }
@@ -197,7 +203,7 @@ impl DiskResource for RecursiveCircuitResource {
             "{}/{}_{}_{}_{}",
             circuit_dir(),
             PROVER_STATE_FILE_PREFIX,
-            *CIRCUIT_VERSION,
+            *KERNEL_HASH,
             circuit_type.as_short_str(),
             size
         )
@@ -241,7 +247,7 @@ impl DiskResource for VerifierResource {
             "{}/{}_{}_{}",
             circuit_dir(),
             VERIFIER_STATE_FILE_PREFIX,
-            *CIRCUIT_VERSION,
+            *KERNEL_HASH,
             p.get_configuration_digest()
         )
     }
diff --git a/zero/src/version.rs b/zero/src/version.rs
deleted file mode 100644
index db5ff42b0..000000000
--- a/zero/src/version.rs
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,10 +0,0 @@
-pub fn print_version(
-    evm_arithmetization_kernel_version: &str,
-    rustc_commit_hash: &str,
-    rustc_timestamp: &str,
-) {
-    println!(
-        "evm_arithmetization Kernel Version: {}\nBuild Commit Hash: {}\nBuild Timestamp: {}",
-        evm_arithmetization_kernel_version, rustc_commit_hash, rustc_timestamp
-    )
-}