diff --git a/oscar/SleepLib/common.cpp b/oscar/SleepLib/common.cpp
index 64660915..29964e7d 100644
--- a/oscar/SleepLib/common.cpp
+++ b/oscar/SleepLib/common.cpp
@@ -185,16 +185,9 @@ QString getGraphicsEngine()
 
 QStringList buildInfo;
 
-QStringList makeBuildInfo (QString relinfo, QString forcedEngine){
-    buildInfo << (STR_AppName + " " + getVersion() + " " + relinfo);
-    buildInfo << (QObject::tr("Built with Qt") + " " + QT_VERSION_STR + " on " + __DATE__ + " " + __TIME__);
-    QString branch = "";
-    if (gitBranch() != "master") {
-        branch = QObject::tr("Branch:") + " " + gitBranch() + ", ";
-    }
-    buildInfo << branch + (QObject::tr("Revision")) + " " + gitRevision();
-    if (getAppName() != STR_AppName)        // Report any non-standard app key
-        buildInfo << (QObject::tr("App key:") + " " + getAppName());
+QStringList makeBuildInfo (QString forcedEngine){
+    // application name and version has already been added
+    buildInfo << (QObject::tr("Built with Qt %1 on %2").arg(QT_VERSION_STR).arg(getBuildDateTime()));
     buildInfo << QString("");
     buildInfo << (QObject::tr("Operating system:") + " " + QSysInfo::prettyProductName());
     buildInfo << (QObject::tr("Graphics Engine:") + " " + getOpenGLVersionString());
@@ -202,6 +195,11 @@ QStringList makeBuildInfo (QString relinfo, QString forcedEngine){
     if (forcedEngine != "")
         buildInfo << forcedEngine;
 
+    buildInfo << QString("");
+    if (getAppName() != STR_AppName)        // Report any non-standard app key
+        buildInfo << (QObject::tr("App key:") + " " + getAppName());
+    // Data directory will always be added, later.
+    
     return buildInfo;
 }
 
diff --git a/oscar/SleepLib/common.h b/oscar/SleepLib/common.h
index 1815a829..bb111ade 100644
--- a/oscar/SleepLib/common.h
+++ b/oscar/SleepLib/common.h
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ QString getGraphicsEngine();
 QString getOpenGLVersionString();
 float getOpenGLVersion();
 
-QStringList makeBuildInfo(QString relinfo, QString forcedEngine);
+QStringList makeBuildInfo(QString forcedEngine);
 QStringList getBuildInfo();
 QStringList addBuildInfo (QString value);
 
diff --git a/oscar/aboutdialog.cpp b/oscar/aboutdialog.cpp
index 2458562c..093a7a63 100644
--- a/oscar/aboutdialog.cpp
+++ b/oscar/aboutdialog.cpp
@@ -30,16 +30,8 @@ AboutDialog::AboutDialog(QWidget *parent) :
     ui->relnotesText->setHtml(getRelnotes());
     ui->versionLabel->setText("");
 
-//    QString gitrev = gitRevision();
-//
-//    if (!gitrev.isEmpty()) {
-//        gitrev = tr("Revision: %1").arg(QString("<a href='https://gitlab.com/sleepyhead/sleepyhead-code/commit/%1'>%1</a>").arg(gitrev))+"<br/>"
-//                +tr("Branch: %1").arg(QString("<a href='https://gitlab.com/sleepyhead/sleepyhead-code/commits/%1'>%1</a>").arg(gitBranch()))+"<br/>"
-//                +tr("Build Date: %1").arg(__DATE__)+"<br/>"
-//                +tr("Graphics Engine: %1").arg(getGraphicsEngine());
-//    }
-
     QString path = GetAppData();
+    // TODO: consider replacing gitrev below with a link or button to the System Information window
     QString text = /* gitrev + */ "<br/><br/><a href=\"file:///"+path+"\">"+tr("Show data folder")+"</a>";
     ui->infoLabel->setText(text);
 
diff --git a/oscar/main.cpp b/oscar/main.cpp
index d3f98090..57a1d7ec 100644
--- a/oscar/main.cpp
+++ b/oscar/main.cpp
@@ -340,14 +340,19 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
     initializeLogger();
     QThread::msleep(50); // Logger takes a little bit to catch up
 
+    qDebug().noquote() << "OSCAR starting" << QDateTime::currentDateTime().toString();
+
 #ifdef QT_DEBUG
     QString relinfo = " debug";
 #else
     QString relinfo = "";
 #endif
     relinfo = "("+QSysInfo::kernelType()+" "+QSysInfo::currentCpuArchitecture()+relinfo+")";
-    qDebug() << "OSCAR starting" << QDateTime::currentDateTime();
-    qDebug().noquote() << STR_AppName << getVersion() << relinfo << "Built with Qt" << QT_VERSION_STR << __DATE__ << __TIME__;
+    relinfo = STR_AppName + " " + getVersion() + " " + relinfo;
+
+    qDebug().noquote() << relinfo;
+    qDebug().noquote() << "Built with Qt" << QT_VERSION_STR << "on" << getBuildDateTime();
+    addBuildInfo(relinfo);  // immediately add it to the build info that's accessible from the UI
 
     SetDateFormat();
 
@@ -365,7 +370,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
 
 // Moved buildInfo calls to after translation is available as makeBuildInfo includes tr() calls
 
-    QStringList info = makeBuildInfo(relinfo, forcedEngine);
+    QStringList info = makeBuildInfo(forcedEngine);
     for (int i = 0; i < info.size(); ++i)
         qDebug().noquote() << info.at(i);
 
@@ -476,9 +481,8 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
     }           // The folder doesn't exist
     else
         qDebug() << "AppData folder already exists, so ...";
-    qDebug() << "Using " + GetAppData() + " as OSCAR data folder";
+    qDebug().noquote() << "Using " + GetAppData() + " as OSCAR data folder";
 
-    addBuildInfo("");
     QString path = GetAppData();
     addBuildInfo(QObject::tr("Data directory:") + " <a href=\"file:///" + path + "\">" + path + "</a>");
 
diff --git a/oscar/version.cpp b/oscar/version.cpp
index faf97a04..e19b275d 100644
--- a/oscar/version.cpp
+++ b/oscar/version.cpp
@@ -25,23 +25,18 @@ const QString PlatformString = "Linux";
 const QString PlatformString = "Haiku";
 #endif
 
-
-const QString & gitRevision()
-{
-    return GIT_REVISION;
-}
-const QString & gitBranch()
-{
-    return GIT_BRANCH;
-}
+// Technically this is the date and time that version.cpp was compiled, but since
+// it gets recompiled whenever git_info.h changes, it's about as close as we can
+// come without forcing recompiles every single build.
+static const QString s_BuildDateTime = __DATE__ " " __TIME__;
 
 QString getPrereleaseSuffix()
 {
     QString suffix;
     
     // Append branch if there is a branch specified
-    if (gitBranch() != "master") {
-        suffix += "-"+gitBranch();
+    if (GIT_BRANCH != "master") {
+        suffix += "-"+GIT_BRANCH;
     }
 
     // Append "-test" if not release or release candidate
@@ -54,6 +49,11 @@ QString getPrereleaseSuffix()
     return suffix;
 }
 
+const QString & getBuildDateTime()
+{
+    return s_BuildDateTime;
+}
+
 // TODO: add preprocessor macros to build full version number including build metadata, accounting for tarball/non-git builds.
 
 static const Version s_Version(VERSION "+" + GIT_BRANCH + "-" + GIT_REVISION);
diff --git a/oscar/version.h b/oscar/version.h
index b037193b..1e7484ef 100644
--- a/oscar/version.h
+++ b/oscar/version.h
@@ -51,8 +51,9 @@ protected:
 //!brief Get the current version of the application.
 const Version & getVersion();
 
+//!brief Get the date and time of the application was built.
+const QString & getBuildDateTime();
+
 QString getPrereleaseSuffix();
-const QString & gitRevision();
-const QString & gitBranch();
 
 #endif // VERSION_H