diff --git a/pkcs11/src/defs.rs b/pkcs11/src/defs.rs
index 3cb2c490..31afd007 100644
--- a/pkcs11/src/defs.rs
+++ b/pkcs11/src/defs.rs
@@ -6,8 +6,54 @@ pub const CRYPTOKI_VERSION: cryptoki_sys::CK_VERSION = cryptoki_sys::CK_VERSION
     major: CRYPTOKI_VERSION_MAJOR,
     minor: cryptoki_sys::CRYPTOKI_VERSION_MINOR,
 };
-pub const LIB_VERSION: CK_VERSION = CK_VERSION { major: 0, minor: 1 };
-pub const LIB_DESCRIPTION: &str = "Nitrokey PKCS#11 library";
+
+#[allow(clippy::result_unit_err)]
+const fn parse_u8(s: &str) -> Result<u8, ()> {
+    let mut idx = 0;
+    let mut acc = 0u8;
+    while idx < s.len() {
+        let Some(temp1) = acc.checked_mul(10u8) else {
+            return Err(());
+        };
+        let Some(digit) = s.as_bytes()[idx].checked_sub(b'0') else {
+            return Err(());
+        };
+        if digit >= 10 {
+            return Err(());
+        }
+        let Some(temp2) = temp1.checked_add(digit) else {
+            return Err(());
+        };
+        acc = temp2;
+        idx += 1;
+    }
+    Ok(acc)
+}
+
+pub const LIB_VERSION_MINOR: u8 = {
+    match parse_u8(env!("CARGO_PKG_VERSION_MINOR")) {
+        Ok(v) => v,
+        Err(()) => panic!("Failed to parse minor version"),
+    }
+};
+pub const LIB_VERSION_MAJOR: u8 = {
+    match parse_u8(env!("CARGO_PKG_VERSION_MAJOR")) {
+        Ok(v) => v,
+        Err(()) => panic!("Failed to parse major version"),
+    }
+};
+
+pub const LIB_VERSION: CK_VERSION = CK_VERSION {
+    major: LIB_VERSION_MAJOR,
+    minor: LIB_VERSION_MINOR,
+};
+pub const LIB_DESCRIPTION: &str = {
+    let v = "Nitrokey NetHsm PKCS#11 library";
+    // max length of libraryDescription in CK_INFO
+    assert!(v.len() < 32);
+    v
+};
+
 pub const LIB_MANUFACTURER: &str = "Nitrokey";
 pub const DEFAULT_FIRMWARE_VERSION: CK_VERSION = CK_VERSION { major: 0, minor: 1 };
 pub const DEFAULT_HARDWARE_VERSION: CK_VERSION = CK_VERSION { major: 0, minor: 1 };
@@ -41,3 +87,20 @@ pub const MECHANISM_LIST: [Mechanism; 27] = [
     Mechanism::GenerateEd,
     Mechanism::GenerateGeneric,
 ];
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn version_parsing() {
+        assert_eq!(
+            LIB_VERSION_MAJOR,
+            env!("CARGO_PKG_VERSION_MAJOR").parse::<u8>().unwrap()
+        );
+        assert_eq!(
+            LIB_VERSION_MINOR,
+            env!("CARGO_PKG_VERSION_MINOR").parse::<u8>().unwrap()
+        );
+    }
+}