diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 1b4649c6b..48fceed98 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -39,19 +39,6 @@ configure_file(
   @ONLY
 )
 
-set(project_version "${PROJECT_VERSION_MAJOR}.${PROJECT_VERSION_MINOR}.${PROJECT_VERSION_PATCH}")
-if(NOT DEFINED PROJECT_VERSION_TWEAK)
-	set(project_version "${project_version}")
-elseif(PROJECT_VERSION_TWEAK EQUAL 0)
-	set(debian_version "${project_version}~dev-1")
-	set(project_version "${project_version}-dev")
-elseif(PROJECT_VERSION_TWEAK GREATER 1)
-	set(debian_version "${project_version}~pre.${PROJECT_VERSION_TWEAK}-1")
-	set(project_version "${project_version}-pre.${PROJECT_VERSION_TWEAK}")
-endif()
-status_print(project_version)
-
-
 include(CMakePackageConfigHelpers)
 include(GNUInstallDirs)
 
@@ -506,6 +493,7 @@ endif()
 
 # For packaging
 if(PACKAGING)
+
   set(CPACK_PACKAGE_DIRECTORY "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/packages")
 
   set(CPACK_COMPONENTS_ALL Runtime Headers Dev)
@@ -518,9 +506,17 @@ if(PACKAGING)
 
   set(CPACK_PACKAGE_CHECKSUM MD5)
   set(CPACK_PACKAGE_VENDOR "The Eclipse Foundation")
-  set(CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION_MAJOR ${PROJECT_VERSION_MAJOR})
-  set(CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION_MINOR ${PROJECT_VERSION_MINOR})
-  set(CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION_PATCH ${PROJECT_VERSION_PATCH})
+  if(NOT CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION)
+    set(CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION ${PROJECT_VERSION})
+      set(SEM_VER "${PROJECT_VERSION_MAJOR}.${PROJECT_VERSION_MINOR}.${PROJECT_VERSION_PATCH}")
+      if(NOT DEFINED PROJECT_VERSION_TWEAK)
+          set(CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION ${SEM_VER})
+      elseif(PROJECT_VERSION_TWEAK EQUAL 0)
+          set(CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION "${SEM_VER}~dev-1")
+      elseif(PROJECT_VERSION_TWEAK GREATER 0)
+          set(CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION "${SEM_VER}~pre.${PROJECT_VERSION_TWEAK}-1")
+      endif()
+  endif()
   set(CPACK_COMPONENT_RUNTIME_DESCRIPTION "The C client library for Eclipse zenoh targeting pico devices")
   set(CPACK_COMPONENT_HEADERS_DESCRIPTION "${CPACK_COMPONENT_LIB_DESCRIPTION} - headers")
   set(CPACK_COMPONENT_DEV_DESCRIPTION "${CPACK_COMPONENT_LIB_DESCRIPTION} - config files")
@@ -555,7 +551,7 @@ if(PACKAGING)
     set(CPACK_DEBIAN_LIB_PACKAGE_NAME "lib${PROJECT_NAME}")
     set(CPACK_DEBIAN_LIB_PACKAGE_DEPENDS "libc6 (>=2.12)")
     set(CPACK_DEBIAN_DEV_PACKAGE_NAME "lib${PROJECT_NAME}-dev")
-    set(CPACK_DEBIAN_DEV_PACKAGE_DEPENDS "${CPACK_DEBIAN_LIB_PACKAGE_NAME} (=${debian_version})")
+    set(CPACK_DEBIAN_DEV_PACKAGE_DEPENDS "${CPACK_DEBIAN_LIB_PACKAGE_NAME} (=${CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION})")
   endif()
 
   if(PACKAGING MATCHES "RPM")
@@ -576,7 +572,7 @@ if(PACKAGING)
     set(CPACK_RPM_COMPONENT_INSTALL ON)
     set(CPACK_RPM_FILE_NAME RPM-DEFAULT)
     set(CPACK_RPM_LIB_PACKAGE_NAME ${PROJECT_NAME}) # avoid "-lib" suffix for "lib" package
-    set(CPACK_RPM_DEV_PACKAGE_REQUIRES "${CPACK_RPM_LIB_PACKAGE_NAME} = ${PROJECT_VERSION}")
+    set(CPACK_RPM_DEV_PACKAGE_REQUIRES "${CPACK_RPM_LIB_PACKAGE_NAME} = ${CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION}")
   endif()
 
   include(CPack)