diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 8aaa016..626916b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -54,8 +54,6 @@ jobs:
         uses: ruby/setup-ruby@v1
         with:
           ruby-version: 3.4.1
-      - name: Export version from tag name
-        run: echo "${{ needs.release-please.outputs.version }}" > VERSION
       - name: Build Gem
         run: gem build *.gemspec
       - name: Setup credentials
diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
index 2011225..9729bd9 100644
--- a/CLAUDE.md
+++ b/CLAUDE.md
@@ -121,6 +121,12 @@ feat: Add support for IPv6 destinations
 feat!: Change default server port to 7778
 ```
 
+### Versioning
+
+The gem version is defined in `lib/deploy_agent/version.rb` as `DeployAgent::VERSION`. The gemspec reads from this constant via `require_relative`. Release-please is configured (via `version-file` in `release-please-config.json`) to automatically bump the version in this file when creating release PRs.
+
+**Do not hardcode the version in `deploy-agent.gemspec`** — it must always reference `DeployAgent::VERSION`.
+
 ## Code Style
 
 Ruby 2.7+ syntax required. RuboCop configured with:
diff --git a/deploy-agent.gemspec b/deploy-agent.gemspec
index 037238b..d6f80bd 100644
--- a/deploy-agent.gemspec
+++ b/deploy-agent.gemspec
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
 # frozen_string_literal: true
 
+require_relative 'lib/deploy_agent/version'
+
 Gem::Specification.new do |s|
   s.name        = 'deploy-agent'
-  s.version     = '1.3.3'
+  s.version     = DeployAgent::VERSION
   s.required_ruby_version = '>= 2.7'
   s.summary     = 'The DeployHQ Agent'
   s.description = 'This gem allows you to configure a secure proxy through which DeployHQ can forward connections'
diff --git a/lib/deploy_agent/version.rb b/lib/deploy_agent/version.rb
index 771f34a..3a20aff 100644
--- a/lib/deploy_agent/version.rb
+++ b/lib/deploy_agent/version.rb
@@ -1,17 +1,5 @@
-require "rubygems"
+# frozen_string_literal: true
 
 module DeployAgent
-  VERSION_FILE_PATH = File.expand_path('../../../VERSION', __FILE__)
-  SPEC_FILE_PATH    = File.expand_path('../../../deploy-agent.gemspec', __FILE__)
-
-  if File.file?(VERSION_FILE_PATH)
-    VERSION = File.read(VERSION_FILE_PATH).strip.sub(/\Av/, '')
-  elsif File.file?(SPEC_FILE_PATH)
-    VERSION = Gem::Specification::load(SPEC_FILE_PATH).version.to_s
-  else
-    puts __FILE__
-
-    VERSION = '0.0.0.dev'
-  end
-
+  VERSION = '1.4.0'
 end
diff --git a/release-please-config.json b/release-please-config.json
index 174bd21..fd1ca5e 100644
--- a/release-please-config.json
+++ b/release-please-config.json
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
   "packages": {
     ".": {
       "release-type": "ruby",
+      "version-file": "lib/deploy_agent/version.rb",
       "changelog-path": "CHANGELOG.md",
       "bump-minor-pre-major": true,
       "bump-patch-for-minor-pre-major": true,