diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index db0942def723d1c975aebcae55c95c12c322237c..2653e668e724d9f248095f90e5031d6795c60f15 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
+# Distribution of partly compressed data tables+files for air shower physics
+
 cmake_minimum_required (VERSION 3.10)
-project (
-  corsika-data
-  VERSION 1.0.0
-  DESCRIPTION "Distribution of partly compressed data tables+files for air shower physics"
   LANGUAGES CXX
   )
 
+set (CORSIKA_DATA_VERSION "1.0.0")
+
 # this may be included in our project to access corsika-data by adding
 # add_subdirectory (corsika-data)
 # to your CMakeLists.txt