diff --git a/python/CMakeLists.txt b/python/CMakeLists.txt
index cc536d721..5256b8d61 100644
--- a/python/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/python/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
 if( GRIB_API_PYTHON )
 
-    message( WARNING "support for Python with CMake needs testing" )
-
     ecbuild_find_python( VERSION 2.5 )
 
     find_package( SWIG )
diff --git a/src/CMakeLists.txt b/src/CMakeLists.txt
index e8af938f7..0053f554a 100644
--- a/src/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -307,6 +307,8 @@ list( APPEND grib_api_srcs
 #   grib_bits_any_endian_simple.c
 # )
 
+configure_file( grib_api_version.c.in grib_api_version.c @ONLY )
+
 ecbuild_generate_yy( YYPREFIX  grib_yy
 		YACC      griby
 		LEX       gribl
@@ -314,9 +316,12 @@ ecbuild_generate_yy( YYPREFIX  grib_yy
 
 ecbuild_add_library( TARGET    grib_api
 		SOURCES   
+            grib_api_version.c
             griby.c gribl.c 
             ${grib_api_extra_srcs} 
             ${grib_api_srcs}
+        GENERATED
+			grib_api_version.c
 		INCLUDES  
             ${GRIB_API_EXTRA_INCLUDE_DIRS} 
 		LIBS      
diff --git a/src/grib_api.h b/src/grib_api.h
index ee4b661b4..7894f9378 100644
--- a/src/grib_api.h
+++ b/src/grib_api.h
@@ -1215,6 +1215,13 @@ void grib_multi_support_reset_file(grib_context* c, FILE* f);
 */
 long grib_get_api_version(void);
 
+/**
+*  Get the Git version control SHA1 identifier
+*
+*  @return character string with SHA1 identifier
+*/
+const char* grib_get_git_sha1(void);
+
 /**
 *  Prints the API version
 *
diff --git a/src/grib_api_version.c.in b/src/grib_api_version.c.in
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1393a3f70
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/grib_api_version.c.in
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+#include "grib_api_internal.h"
+
+const char * grib_get_git_sha1() { return "@GRIB_API_GIT_SHA1@"; }