diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..300683f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+VERSION = 1.9.1
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 58d8fe3..76e8ca3 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -1,7 +1,14 @@
 import setuptools
 from pathlib import Path
+from os import environ
+from dotenv import load_dotenv
+
+current_dir = Path(__file__).parent
+version_file_path = Path(current_dir, "VERSION")
+load_dotenv(version_file_path)
+
+VERSION = environ.get("VERSION")
 
-VERSION = "2.1.0"
 python_ldap_version = "3.3.1"
 
 setuptools.setup(