diff --git a/src/core/expandos.c b/src/core/expandos.c
index 84c5e855..25d407db 100644
--- a/src/core/expandos.c
+++ b/src/core/expandos.c
@@ -363,7 +363,8 @@ static char *expando_target(SERVER_REC *server, void *item, int *free_ret)
 /* client release date (numeric version string) */
 static char *expando_releasedate(SERVER_REC *server, void *item, int *free_ret)
 {
-	return IRSSI_VERSION_DATE;
+        *free_ret = TRUE;
+	return g_strdup_printf("%d", IRSSI_VERSION_DATE);
 }
 
 /* current working directory */
diff --git a/src/fe-common/core/fe-common-core.c b/src/fe-common/core/fe-common-core.c
index 32855340..4399c4d6 100644
--- a/src/fe-common/core/fe-common-core.c
+++ b/src/fe-common/core/fe-common-core.c
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ void fe_core_commands_deinit(void);
 
 static void print_version(void)
 {
-	printf(PACKAGE" " IRSSI_VERSION" ("IRSSI_VERSION_DATE")\n");
+	printf(PACKAGE" " IRSSI_VERSION" (%d)\n", IRSSI_VERSION_DATE);
         exit(0);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/fe-common/core/fe-core-commands.c b/src/fe-common/core/fe-core-commands.c
index 32c9f0cc..733d1f1b 100644
--- a/src/fe-common/core/fe-core-commands.c
+++ b/src/fe-common/core/fe-core-commands.c
@@ -96,8 +96,8 @@ static void cmd_version(char *data)
 
 	if (*data == '\0') {
 		printtext(NULL, NULL, MSGLEVEL_CLIENTNOTICE,
-			  "Client: "PACKAGE" " IRSSI_VERSION
-			  " ("IRSSI_VERSION_DATE")");
+			  "Client: "PACKAGE" " IRSSI_VERSION" (%s)",
+			  IRSSI_VERSION_DATE);
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/src/perl/common/Core.xs b/src/perl/common/Core.xs
index e5d8e948..cf01de40 100644
--- a/src/perl/common/Core.xs
+++ b/src/perl/common/Core.xs
@@ -438,7 +438,7 @@ CODE:
 OUTPUT:
 	RETVAL
 
-char *
+int
 version()
 CODE:
 	RETVAL = IRSSI_VERSION_DATE;