diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index a33c642a839..7e0e7983329 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -296,7 +296,6 @@ include:
     - if: *is-merge-attempt
       changes: &all_paths
         - VERSION
-        - bin/git_sha1_gen.py
         - bin/install_megadrivers.py
         - bin/symbols-check.py
         - bin/ci/**/*
diff --git a/bin/git_sha1_gen.py b/bin/git_sha1_gen.py
deleted file mode 100644
index a457b310d48..00000000000
--- a/bin/git_sha1_gen.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,50 +0,0 @@
-"""
-Generate the contents of the git_sha1.h file.
-"""
-
-import argparse
-import os
-import os.path
-import subprocess
-import sys
-
-
-def get_git_sha1():
-    """Try to get the git SHA1 with git rev-parse."""
-    git_dir = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(sys.argv[0]), '..', '.git')
-    try:
-        git_sha1 = subprocess.check_output([
-            'git',
-            '--git-dir=' + git_dir,
-            'rev-parse',
-            'HEAD',
-        ], stderr=open(os.devnull, 'w')).decode("ascii")
-    except Exception:
-        # don't print anything if it fails
-        git_sha1 = ''
-    return git_sha1
-
-
-def write_if_different(contents):
-    """
-    Avoid touching the output file if it doesn't need modifications
-    Useful to avoid triggering rebuilds when nothing has changed.
-    """
-    if os.path.isfile(args.output):
-        with open(args.output, 'r') as file:
-            if file.read() == contents:
-                return
-    with open(args.output, 'w') as file:
-        file.write(contents)
-
-
-parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
-parser.add_argument('--output', help='File to write the #define in',
-                    required=True)
-args = parser.parse_args()
-
-git_sha1 = os.environ.get('MESA_GIT_SHA1_OVERRIDE', get_git_sha1())[:10]
-if git_sha1:
-    write_if_different('#define MESA_GIT_SHA1 " (git-' + git_sha1 + ')"')
-else:
-    write_if_different('#define MESA_GIT_SHA1 ""')
diff --git a/bin/meson.build b/bin/meson.build
index e6664d7fe74..8749a69c349 100644
--- a/bin/meson.build
+++ b/bin/meson.build
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 # Copyright © 2017 Eric Engestrom
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 
-git_sha1_gen_py = files('git_sha1_gen.py')
 gen_vs_module_defs_py = files('gen_vs_module_defs.py')
 gen_vs_module_defs_normal_command = [
   prog_python, gen_vs_module_defs_py,
diff --git a/src/git_sha1.h.in b/src/git_sha1.h.in
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..1cc80cccb63
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/git_sha1.h.in
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+#define MESA_GIT_SHA1 @VCS_TAG@
diff --git a/src/meson.build b/src/meson.build
index fdfb2dc246f..ae9dcffad6d 100644
--- a/src/meson.build
+++ b/src/meson.build
@@ -33,12 +33,11 @@ glsl_util_files = files(
     'mesa/program/dummy_errors.c',
 )
 
-sha1_h = custom_target(
-  'git_sha1.h',
+sha1_h = vcs_tag(
+  input : 'git_sha1.h.in',
   output : 'git_sha1.h',
-  command : [prog_python, git_sha1_gen_py, '--output', '@OUTPUT@'],
-  build_by_default : true,
-  build_always_stale : true, # commit sha1 can change without having touched these files
+  command : ['git', 'show', '--no-patch', '--abbrev=10', '--format=" (git-%h)"'],
+  fallback : '""',
 )
 
 if cc.get_argument_syntax() == 'msvc'