diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 55b025c4d862..7589a6ce9475 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -37,6 +37,10 @@ nb-configuration.xml
 # Also ignore it under dspace/config
 /dspace/config/local.cfg
 
+# Ignore VERSION_D.txt file which is used to track the DSpace version and commit hash
+/dspace/config/VERSION_D.txt
+/VERSION_D.txt
+
 ##Mac noise
 .DS_Store
 
diff --git a/dspace/config/clarin-dspace.cfg b/dspace/config/clarin-dspace.cfg
index 754d6422c96a..c3223c48dc83 100644
--- a/dspace/config/clarin-dspace.cfg
+++ b/dspace/config/clarin-dspace.cfg
@@ -249,4 +249,4 @@ sync.storage.service.enabled = true
 
 
 ### The build version is stored in the specific file ###
-build.version.file.path = dspace/config/VERSION_D.txt
+build.version.file.path = ${dspace.dir}/config/VERSION_D.txt