diff --git a/AboutThisBuild.cmake b/AboutThisBuild.cmake
index 56cf47fd8..c937a259c 100644
--- a/AboutThisBuild.cmake
+++ b/AboutThisBuild.cmake
@@ -33,6 +33,12 @@ else (REL_INFO_FILE STREQUAL REL_INFO_FILE-NOTFOUND)
   include("${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/ReleaseInfo.cmake")
 endif (REL_INFO_FILE STREQUAL REL_INFO_FILE-NOTFOUND)
 
+if (VERSION_SUFFIX STREQUAL "")
+  set (HG_VERSION_SUFFIX "${HG_VERSION}")
+else (VERSION_SUFFIX STREQUAL "")
+  set (HG_VERSION_SUFFIX "${HG_VERSION} ${VERSION_SUFFIX}")
+endif ()
+
 # build version.h from template
 configure_file ("${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/rtgui/version.h.in" "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/rtgui/version.h")
 # build AboutThisBuild.txt from template
diff --git a/AboutThisBuild.txt.in b/AboutThisBuild.txt.in
index 618926eec..2d8cf207e 100644
--- a/AboutThisBuild.txt.in
+++ b/AboutThisBuild.txt.in
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 Branch: ${HG_BRANCH}
-Version: ${HG_VERSION}
+Version: ${HG_VERSION_SUFFIX}
 Changeset: ${HG_CHANGESET}
 Compiler: ${COMPILER_INFO}
 Processor: ${PROC_LABEL}
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 984ee26c0..b2b1ba8fb 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -312,6 +312,7 @@ set(ABOUT_COMMAND_WITH_ARGS ${CMAKE_COMMAND}
                             -DPROC_LABEL:STRING="${PROC_LABEL}"
                             -DPROC_BIT_DEPTH:STRING="${PROC_BIT_DEPTH}"
                             -DBUILD_TYPE:STRING=${CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE}
+                            -DVERSION_SUFFIX:STRING=${VERSION_SUFFIX}
                             -DGTKMM_VERSION:STRING=${GTKMM_VERSION}
                             -DOPTION_OMP:STRING=${OPTION_OMP}
                             -DWITH_MYFILE_MMAP:STRING=${WITH_MYFILE_MMAP})
diff --git a/rtgui/options.cc b/rtgui/options.cc
index 3b9d4b45f..efd650a84 100644
--- a/rtgui/options.cc
+++ b/rtgui/options.cc
@@ -42,7 +42,8 @@ Glib::ustring Options::rtdir;
 Glib::ustring Options::cacheBaseDir;
 
 Options options;
-Glib::ustring versionString      = VERSION;
+Glib::ustring versionString       = VERSION;
+Glib::ustring versionSuffixString = VERSION_SUFFIX;
 Glib::ustring paramFileExtension = ".pp3";
 
 Options::Options () {
diff --git a/rtgui/options.h b/rtgui/options.h
index 4500c6b85..53b5e7e5f 100644
--- a/rtgui/options.h
+++ b/rtgui/options.h
@@ -289,6 +289,7 @@ extern Glib::ustring argv0;
 extern Glib::ustring argv1;
 extern bool simpleEditor;
 extern Glib::ustring versionString;
+extern Glib::ustring versionSuffixString;
 extern Glib::ustring paramFileExtension;
 
 #endif
diff --git a/rtgui/rtwindow.cc b/rtgui/rtwindow.cc
index cf3b31f9a..6a961d98d 100644
--- a/rtgui/rtwindow.cc
+++ b/rtgui/rtwindow.cc
@@ -113,7 +113,10 @@ RTWindow::RTWindow ()
         gtkosx_application_ready (osxApp);
     }
 #endif
-    set_title("RawTherapee "+versionString);
+    Glib::ustring versionStr("RawTherapee "+versionString);
+    if (!versionSuffixString.empty())
+        versionStr += " "+versionSuffixString;
+    set_title(versionStr);
     property_allow_shrink() = true;
     set_default_size(options.windowWidth, options.windowHeight);
     set_modal(false);
diff --git a/rtgui/splash.cc b/rtgui/splash.cc
index c0f69455d..1747fb44d 100644
--- a/rtgui/splash.cc
+++ b/rtgui/splash.cc
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ extern Glib::ustring argv0;
 extern Glib::ustring creditsPath;
 extern Glib::ustring licensePath;
 extern Glib::ustring versionString;
+extern Glib::ustring versionSuffixString;
 
 SplashImage::SplashImage () {
 
@@ -63,7 +64,10 @@ bool SplashImage::on_expose_event (GdkEventExpose* event) {
     gc_->set_foreground(*textColor);
 
     int w, h;
-    version = create_pango_layout (versionString);
+    Glib::ustring versionStr(versionString);
+    if (!versionSuffixString.empty())
+        versionStr += " "+versionSuffixString;
+    version = create_pango_layout (versionStr);
     version->get_pixel_size (w, h);  
     window->draw_layout(gc_, pixbuf->get_width() - w - 4, pixbuf->get_height() - h - 4, version);
 
diff --git a/rtgui/version.h.in b/rtgui/version.h.in
index 335e2840d..29e7ccbed 100644
--- a/rtgui/version.h.in
+++ b/rtgui/version.h.in
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 #define _VERSION_
 
 #define VERSION "${HG_VERSION}"
+#define VERSION_SUFFIX "${VERSION_SUFFIX}"
 #define TAGDISTANCE ${HG_TAGDISTANCE}
 #define CACHEFOLDERNAME "RawTherapee${CACHE_NAME_SUFFIX}"
 
diff --git a/win.cmake b/win.cmake
index 2259c144f..b4bbc66a2 100644
--- a/win.cmake
+++ b/win.cmake
@@ -22,6 +22,9 @@ set(CACHE_NAME_SUFFIX "" CACHE STRING "RawTherapee's cache folder suffix (leave
 # This line will let you chose the target number, and the associated processor
 set(PROC_TARGET_NUMBER 0 CACHE STRING "Target Processor")
 
+# To add a version suffix (text) after the standard version number, e.g. for patched builds
+set(VERSION_SUFFIX "" CACHE STRING "For patched builds, use this string to add a version suffix (text); KEEP EMPTY FOR RELEASE BULDS")
+
 # If you want to force the target processor name when PROC_TARGET_NUMBER = 0 or 2,
 # uncomment the next line and replace labelWithoutQuotes by its value
 #set (PROC_LABEL labelWithoutQuotes CACHE STRING "Target Processor label")