diff --git a/cmd/bindown/bootstrap.go b/cmd/bindown/bootstrap.go
index 639a6e3..97c7bd0 100644
--- a/cmd/bindown/bootstrap.go
+++ b/cmd/bindown/bootstrap.go
@@ -9,24 +9,20 @@ import (
 	bootstrapper "github.com/willabides/bindown/v4/internal/build-bootstrapper"
 )
 
-func defaultBootstrapTag() string {
-	if Version == "unknown" {
-		return ""
-	}
-	return "v" + Version
-}
-
 type bootstrapCmd struct {
-	Tag     string `kong:"hidden,default=${bootstrap_tag_default}"`
+	Tag     string `kong:"hidden"`
 	BaseURL string `kong:"hidden,name='base-url',default='https://github.com'"`
 	Output  string `kong:"help='output file, writes to stdout if not set',type='path'"`
 }
 
 func (c *bootstrapCmd) Run(ctx *runContext) error {
-	if c.Tag == "" {
+	tag := c.Tag
+	if tag == "" {
+		tag = getVersion()
+	}
+	if tag == "" {
 		return fmt.Errorf("version is required")
 	}
-	tag := c.Tag
 	if !strings.HasPrefix(tag, "v") {
 		tag = "v" + tag
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/bindown/cli.go b/cmd/bindown/cli.go
index 321f830..e179de9 100644
--- a/cmd/bindown/cli.go
+++ b/cmd/bindown/cli.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"io"
 	"os"
 	"slices"
+	"strings"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/alecthomas/kong"
@@ -40,7 +41,6 @@ var kongVars = kong.Vars{
 	"install_to_cache_help":           `install to cache instead of install dir`,
 	"install_wrapper_help":            `install a wrapper script instead of the binary`,
 	"install_bindown_help":            `path to bindown executable to use in wrapper`,
-	"bootstrap_tag_default":           defaultBootstrapTag(),
 }
 
 type rootCmd struct {
@@ -326,11 +326,18 @@ type wrapCmd struct {
 	Output               string   `kong:"type=path,name=output,type=file,help=${output_help}"`
 	AllowMissingChecksum bool     `kong:"name=allow-missing-checksum,help=${allow_missing_checksum}"`
 	BindownExec          string   `kong:"name=bindown,help=${install_bindown_help}"`
-	BindownTag           string   `kong:"hidden,default=${bootstrap_tag_default}"`
+	BindownTag           string   `kong:"hidden"`
 	BaseURL              string   `kong:"hidden,name='base-url',default='https://github.com'"`
 }
 
 func (d *wrapCmd) Run(ctx *runContext) error {
+	tag := d.BindownTag
+	if tag == "" {
+		tag = getVersion()
+	}
+	if tag != "" && !strings.HasPrefix(tag, "v") {
+		tag = "v" + tag
+	}
 	config, err := loadConfigFile(ctx, false)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -341,7 +348,7 @@ func (d *wrapCmd) Run(ctx *runContext) error {
 		BindownExec:          d.BindownExec,
 		Stdout:               ctx.stdout,
 		AllDeps:              d.All,
-		BindownTag:           d.BindownTag,
+		BindownTag:           tag,
 		BindownWrapped:       os.Getenv("BINDOWN_WRAPPED"),
 		BaseURL:              d.BaseURL,
 	})
diff --git a/cmd/bindown/version.go b/cmd/bindown/version.go
index f31ac28..f0f4744 100644
--- a/cmd/bindown/version.go
+++ b/cmd/bindown/version.go
@@ -4,8 +4,17 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 )
 
+const defaultVersion = "unknown"
+
 // Version the version to display for `bindown version`
-var Version = "unknown"
+var Version = defaultVersion
+
+func getVersion() string {
+	if Version == defaultVersion {
+		return ""
+	}
+	return Version
+}
 
 type versionCmd struct{}