diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 88b3350b3..e670b8440 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -2,13 +2,15 @@
 
 all: install
 
+TMROOT = $${TMROOT:-$$HOME/.tendermint}
+
 install: 
 	go install github.com/tendermint/tendermint/cmd/tendermint
 	go install github.com/tendermint/tendermint/cmd/barak
 	go install github.com/tendermint/tendermint/cmd/debora
 	go install github.com/tendermint/tendermint/cmd/stdinwriter
 	go install github.com/tendermint/tendermint/cmd/logjack
-	echo -n `git rev-parse --verify HEAD` > .revision
+	@echo -n `git rev-parse --verify HEAD` > $(TMROOT)/revisions
 
 build: 
 	go build -o build/tendermint github.com/tendermint/tendermint/cmd/tendermint
@@ -44,10 +46,4 @@ gen_client:
 	go generate rpc/core_client/*.go
 
 revision:
-	echo -n `git rev-parse --verify HEAD` > .revision
-
-tendermint_root/priv_validator.json: tendermint_root/priv_validator.json.orig
-	cp $< $@
-
-clean:
-	rm -f tendermint tendermint_root/priv_validator.json
+	@echo -n `git rev-parse --verify HEAD` > $(TMROOT)/revisions
diff --git a/common/os.go b/common/os.go
index 51c6d2b6a..5cdfd10ae 100644
--- a/common/os.go
+++ b/common/os.go
@@ -5,14 +5,12 @@ import (
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"os"
 	"os/signal"
-	"path"
 	"sync"
 	"time"
 )
 
 var (
-	GoPath         = os.Getenv("GOPATH")
-	TendermintRepo = path.Join(GoPath, "src", "github.com", "tendermint", "tendermint")
+	GoPath = os.Getenv("GOPATH")
 )
 
 func TrapSignal(cb func()) {
diff --git a/config/tendermint/config.go b/config/tendermint/config.go
index 14868d56b..52a0092e6 100644
--- a/config/tendermint/config.go
+++ b/config/tendermint/config.go
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ func GetConfig(rootDir string) cfg.Config {
 	mapConfig.SetDefault("db_dir", rootDir+"/data")
 	mapConfig.SetDefault("log_level", "info")
 	mapConfig.SetDefault("rpc_laddr", "0.0.0.0:46657")
+	mapConfig.SetDefault("revisions_file", rootDir+"/revisions")
 	return mapConfig
 }
 
diff --git a/node/node.go b/node/node.go
index 3b5812767..858b7d0c8 100644
--- a/node/node.go
+++ b/node/node.go
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ import (
 	"net"
 	"net/http"
 	"os"
-	"path"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
@@ -247,7 +246,7 @@ func makeNodeInfo(sw *p2p.Switch) *types.NodeInfo {
 	}
 
 	// include git hash in the nodeInfo if available
-	if rev, err := ReadFile(path.Join(TendermintRepo, ".revision")); err == nil {
+	if rev, err := ReadFile(config.GetString("revisions_file")); err == nil {
 		nodeInfo.Revision = string(rev)
 	}