diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index b9aad58c03e44142c16aa4f468c2f011a4218a6b..11b734b692e7dd29e853cd50fa7456530085253a 100755
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ def get_version_info():
         GIT_REVISION = git_version()
     elif os.path.exists('caosdb_pylib_commit'):
         with open('caosdb_pylib_commit', 'r') as f:
-            GIT_REVISION = f.read()
+            GIT_REVISION = f.read().strip()
     elif os.path.exists('src/caosdb/version.py'):
         # must be a source distribution, use existing version file
         try: