diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 8a361c6..44e7e73 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -5,8 +5,6 @@ __pycache__/
 
 .ipynb_checkpoints/
 
-higlass_widget/_version.py
-
 node_modules/
 
 higlass_widget/nbextension/index.js
diff --git a/higlass_widget/__init__.py b/higlass_widget/__init__.py
index efe8357..ac677cf 100644
--- a/higlass_widget/__init__.py
+++ b/higlass_widget/__init__.py
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 import sys
 
-from ._version import version as __version__
 from .widget import HiGlassWidget
 
 try:
diff --git a/higlass_widget/widget.py b/higlass_widget/widget.py
index c9f6af8..f4a8995 100644
--- a/higlass_widget/widget.py
+++ b/higlass_widget/widget.py
@@ -1,10 +1,16 @@
 import json
+import pathlib
 from typing import Any, Dict
 
 import ipywidgets
 import traitlets.traitlets as t
 
-from ._version import version
+here = pathlib.Path(__file__).parent
+
+with open(here / "labextension" / "package.json") as f:
+    pkg = json.load(f)
+
+version = pkg["version"]
 
 
 class HiGlassWidget(ipywidgets.DOMWidget):