diff --git a/scripts/install-core.js b/scripts/install-core.js
index b01f039..ec6cfed 100755
--- a/scripts/install-core.js
+++ b/scripts/install-core.js
@@ -406,6 +406,7 @@ function parseArgs(argv) {
     check: false,
     profileIds: null,
     help: false,
+    version: false,
     verbose: false,
     quiet: false,
   };
@@ -447,6 +448,11 @@ function parseArgs(argv) {
       continue;
     }
 
+    if (arg === "--version" || arg === "-v") {
+      options.version = true;
+      continue;
+    }
+
     if (arg === "--verbose") {
       options.verbose = true;
       continue;
diff --git a/scripts/install.js b/scripts/install.js
index 55e356b..9bb54bc 100755
--- a/scripts/install.js
+++ b/scripts/install.js
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 const fs = require("fs");
 const readline = require("readline/promises");
+const { version } = require("../package.json");
 const {
   buildInspectionCache,
   getDefaultRepoRoot,
@@ -178,12 +179,19 @@ async function runPlainInstaller({ profiles, options, initialSelectedIds, source
 }
 
 async function main(argv) {
-   const config = loadConfig(getDefaultRepoRoot());
-   const { configError, sourceRoot } = config;
-   if (sourceRoot && !fs.existsSync(sourceRoot)) {
-     process.stderr.write(`Warning: source root ${sourceRoot} does not exist. Profiles may be empty.\n`);
-   }
-   if (configError) {
+  const options = parseArgs(argv);
+
+  if (options.version) {
+    console.log(version);
+    return;
+  }
+
+  const config = loadConfig(getDefaultRepoRoot());
+  const { configError, sourceRoot } = config;
+  if (sourceRoot && !fs.existsSync(sourceRoot)) {
+    process.stderr.write(`Warning: source root ${sourceRoot} does not exist. Profiles may be empty.\n`);
+  }
+  if (configError) {
     const choice = await handleInvalidConfig(configError);
     if (choice === "exit") {
       process.exit(0);
@@ -197,7 +205,6 @@ async function main(argv) {
 
   const detection = detectInstalledTools();
   const profiles = discoverProfiles(undefined, detection);
-  const options = parseArgs(argv);
 
   if (options.help) {
     printUsage(profiles);
diff --git a/tests/install-core.test.js b/tests/install-core.test.js
index 613c53c..f1fd0ee 100644
--- a/tests/install-core.test.js
+++ b/tests/install-core.test.js
@@ -120,6 +120,7 @@ describe("parseArgs", () => {
     assert.strictEqual(opts.selectAll, false);
     assert.strictEqual(opts.listOnly, false);
     assert.strictEqual(opts.help, false);
+    assert.strictEqual(opts.version, false);
     assert.strictEqual(opts.profileIds, null);
     assert.strictEqual(opts.verbose, false);
     assert.strictEqual(opts.quiet, false);
@@ -149,6 +150,14 @@ describe("parseArgs", () => {
     assert.strictEqual(core.parseArgs(["-h"]).help, true);
   });
 
+  it("--version sets version", () => {
+    assert.strictEqual(core.parseArgs(["--version"]).version, true);
+  });
+
+  it("-v sets version", () => {
+    assert.strictEqual(core.parseArgs(["-v"]).version, true);
+  });
+
   it("'sync' subcommand is silently ignored", () => {
     const opts = core.parseArgs(["sync", "--dry-run"]);
     assert.strictEqual(opts.dryRun, true);