diff --git a/common/version.c b/common/version.c
index 61f4018022..228e3ee314 100644
--- a/common/version.c
+++ b/common/version.c
@@ -17,10 +17,6 @@
 
 #include "common.h"
 #include "version.h"
-#ifdef NO_BUILD_TIMESTAMPS
-#undef BUILDDATE
-#define BUILDDATE "UNKNOWN"
-#endif
 
 const char mpv_version[]  = "mpv " VERSION;
 const char mpv_builddate[] = BUILDDATE;
diff --git a/common/version.h.in b/common/version.h.in
index 7d1c92f1bb..b09718f152 100644
--- a/common/version.h.in
+++ b/common/version.h.in
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
 #define VERSION "@VERSION@"
-#define BUILDDATE __DATE__ " " __TIME__
 #define MPVCOPYRIGHT "Copyright © 2000-2023 mpv/MPlayer/mplayer2 projects"
+#ifndef NO_BUILD_TIMESTAMPS
+#define BUILDDATE __DATE__ " " __TIME__
+#else
+#define BUILDDATE "UNKNOWN"
+#endif