diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 275eaa76..0e5523fe 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -482,7 +482,10 @@ man_config.set('LIBINPUT_VERSION', meson.project_version())
 man_config.set('LIBINPUT_DATA_DIR', dir_data)
 
 deps_tools = [ dep_tools_shared, dep_libinput ]
-libinput_debug_events_sources = [ 'tools/libinput-debug-events.c' ]
+libinput_debug_events_sources = [
+	'tools/libinput-debug-events.c',
+	libinput_version_h,
+]
 executable('libinput-debug-events',
 	   libinput_debug_events_sources,
 	   dependencies : deps_tools,
diff --git a/tools/libinput-debug-events.c b/tools/libinput-debug-events.c
index 33b850f3..bdabb544 100644
--- a/tools/libinput-debug-events.c
+++ b/tools/libinput-debug-events.c
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@
 #include <libinput.h>
 #include <libevdev/libevdev.h>
 
+#include "libinput-version.h"
 #include "util-strings.h"
 #include "util-macros.h"
 #include "shared.h"
@@ -1045,6 +1046,9 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 		return EXIT_FAILURE;
 	}
 
+	if (verbose)
+		printf("libinput version: %s\n", LIBINPUT_VERSION);
+
 	li = tools_open_backend(backend, seat_or_devices, verbose, &grab);
 	if (!li)
 		return EXIT_FAILURE;