diff --git a/.ko.yaml b/.ko.yaml
index d8d3bd78..e90af2a2 100644
--- a/.ko.yaml
+++ b/.ko.yaml
@@ -7,3 +7,6 @@ defaultPlatforms:
 defaultLdflags:
   - -s
   - -w
+  - -X github.com/kro-run/kro/pkg.Version={{.Env.RELEASE_VERSION}}
+  - -X github.com/kro-run/kro/pkg.GitCommit={{.Env.GIT_COMMIT}}
+  - -X github.com/kro-run/kro/pkg.BuildDate={{.Env.BUILD_DATE}}
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index b87899bf..e6a48765 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 
-RELEASE_VERSION ?= dev-$(shell git rev-parse --short HEAD)
+GIT_COMMIT ?= $(shell git rev-parse --short HEAD)
+BUILD_DATE ?= $(shell date -u +'%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ')
+RELEASE_VERSION ?= dev-$(GIT_COMMIT)
 OCI_REPO ?= ghcr.io/kro-run/kro
 
 HELM_IMAGE ?= ${OCI_REPO}
@@ -9,6 +11,10 @@ KOCACHE ?= ~/.ko
 KO_PUSH ?= true
 export KIND_CLUSTER_NAME ?= kro
 
+LDFLAGS ?= -X github.com/kro-run/kro/pkg.Version=$(RELEASE_VERSION) \
+           -X github.com/kro-run/kro/pkg.GitCommit=$(GIT_COMMIT) \
+           -X github.com/kro-run/kro/pkg.BuildDate=$(BUILD_DATE)
+
 WITH_GOFLAGS = GOFLAGS="$(GOFLAGS)"
 
 HELM_DIR = ./helm
@@ -106,7 +112,7 @@ lint-fix: golangci-lint ## Run golangci-lint linter and perform fixes
 
 .PHONY: build
 build: manifests generate fmt vet ## Build controller binary.
-	go build -o bin/controller ./cmd/controller/main.go
+	go build -ldflags=${LDFLAGS} -o bin/controller ./cmd/controller/main.go
 
 .PHONY: run
 run: manifests generate fmt vet ## Run a controller from your host.
@@ -188,13 +194,15 @@ $(CONTROLLER_GEN): $(LOCALBIN)
 build-image: ko ## Build the kro controller images using ko build
 	echo "Building kro image $(RELEASE_VERSION).."
 	$(WITH_GOFLAGS) KOCACHE=$(KOCACHE) KO_DOCKER_REPO=$(KO_DOCKER_REPO) \
+		GIT_COMMIT=$(GIT_COMMIT) RELEASE_VERSION=$(RELEASE_VERSION) BUILD_DATE=$(BUILD_DATE) \
 		$(KO) build --bare github.com/kro-run/kro/cmd/controller \
 		--local\
 		--push=false --tags ${RELEASE_VERSION} --sbom=none
 
 .PHONY: publish
 publish-image: ko ## Publish the kro controller images to ghcr.io
-	$(WITH_GOFLAGS) KOCACHE=$(KOCACHE) \
+	$(WITH_GOFLAGS) KOCACHE=$(KOCACHE) KO_DOCKER_REPO=$(KO_DOCKER_REPO) \
+		GIT_COMMIT=$(GIT_COMMIT) RELEASE_VERSION=$(RELEASE_VERSION) BUILD_DATE=$(BUILD_DATE) \
 		$(KO) publish --bare github.com/kro-run/kro/cmd/controller \
 		--tags ${RELEASE_VERSION} --sbom=none
 
diff --git a/pkg/controller/resourcegraphdefinition/controller.go b/pkg/controller/resourcegraphdefinition/controller.go
index 6fd9dda4..3eb405e8 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/resourcegraphdefinition/controller.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/resourcegraphdefinition/controller.go
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ func NewResourceGraphDefinitionReconciler(
 		allowCRDDeletion:  allowCRDDeletion,
 		crdManager:        crdWrapper,
 		dynamicController: dynamicController,
-		metadataLabeler:   metadata.NewKroMetaLabeler("0.2.1", "kro-pod"),
+		metadataLabeler:   metadata.NewKroMetaLabeler(),
 		rgBuilder:         builder,
 	}
 }
diff --git a/pkg/metadata/labels.go b/pkg/metadata/labels.go
index 34b106ef..7a9195e9 100644
--- a/pkg/metadata/labels.go
+++ b/pkg/metadata/labels.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 
 	"github.com/kro-run/kro/api/v1alpha1"
+	"github.com/kro-run/kro/pkg"
 	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
 )
 
@@ -29,9 +30,8 @@ const (
 const (
 	NodeIDLabel = LabelKroPrefix + "node-id"
 
-	OwnedLabel           = LabelKroPrefix + "owned"
-	KroVersionLabel      = LabelKroPrefix + "kro-version"
-	ControllerPodIDLabel = LabelKroPrefix + "controller-pod-id"
+	OwnedLabel      = LabelKroPrefix + "owned"
+	KroVersionLabel = LabelKroPrefix + "kro-version"
 
 	InstanceIDLabel        = LabelKroPrefix + "instance-id"
 	InstanceLabel          = LabelKroPrefix + "instance-name"
@@ -115,8 +115,8 @@ func (gl GenericLabeler) Copy() map[string]string {
 // ResourceGraphDefinitionLabel and ResourceGraphDefinitionIDLabel labels on a resource.
 func NewResourceGraphDefinitionLabeler(rgMeta metav1.Object) GenericLabeler {
 	return map[string]string{
-		ResourceGraphDefinitionIDLabel:        string(rgMeta.GetUID()),
-		ResourceGraphDefinitionNameLabel:      rgMeta.GetName(),
+		ResourceGraphDefinitionIDLabel:   string(rgMeta.GetUID()),
+		ResourceGraphDefinitionNameLabel: rgMeta.GetName(),
 	}
 }
 
@@ -133,14 +133,10 @@ func NewInstanceLabeler(instanceMeta metav1.Object) GenericLabeler {
 
 // NewKroMetaLabeler returns a new labeler that sets the OwnedLabel,
 // KroVersion, and ControllerPodID labels on a resource.
-func NewKroMetaLabeler(
-	kroVersion string,
-	controllerPodID string,
-) GenericLabeler {
+func NewKroMetaLabeler() GenericLabeler {
 	return map[string]string{
-		OwnedLabel:           "true",
-		KroVersionLabel:      kroVersion,
-		ControllerPodIDLabel: controllerPodID,
+		OwnedLabel:      "true",
+		KroVersionLabel: pkg.Version,
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/version.go b/pkg/version.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a909fe4b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/version.go
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+// Copyright 2025 The Kube Resource Orchestrator Authors.
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"). You may
+// not use this file except in compliance with the License. A copy of the
+// License is located at
+//
+//	http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// or in the "license" file accompanying this file. This file is distributed
+// on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either
+// express or implied. See the License for the specific language governing
+// permissions and limitations under the License.
+
+package pkg
+
+// These variables are populated by the go compiler using -ldflags
+var (
+	// Version is the version of the kro binary.
+	Version string // -X github.com/your/repo/pkg.Version=$(VERSION)
+	// GitCommit is the git commit that was compiled.
+	GitCommit string // -X github.com/your/repo/pkg.GitCommit=$(GIT_COMMIT)
+	// BuildDate is the date that the kro binary was built.
+	BuildDate string // -X github.com/your/repo/pkg.BuildDate=$(BUILD_DATE)
+)