diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/release.yml b/.gitea/workflows/release.yml
index 3189194..eeb3774 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/release.yml
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           VERSION="${GITHUB_REF_NAME#v}"
           echo "Building version $VERSION"
-          PLATFORMIO_BUILD_FLAGS="-D CI_VERSION=\"$VERSION\"" pio run
+          PLATFORMIO_BUILD_FLAGS="-D CI_VERSION=$VERSION" pio run
 
       - name: Create Release and Upload Firmware
         uses: softprops/action-gh-release@v2
diff --git a/src/config.h b/src/config.h
index b7d391c..9b14a61 100644
--- a/src/config.h
+++ b/src/config.h
@@ -5,8 +5,13 @@ namespace Config {
 // Updated by CI on every version release (see
     // .gitea/workflows/release.yml) - shown in the info screen
     // (Menu > System > Info). Locally built firmware shows "custom".
+    // The STR() macro converts the raw -D define to a string literal
+    // (needed because PlatformIO strips quotes from build flags).
+#define STR_HELPER(x) #x
+#define STR(x) STR_HELPER(x)
+
 #ifdef CI_VERSION
-    constexpr const char* APP_VERSION = CI_VERSION;
+    constexpr const char* APP_VERSION = STR(CI_VERSION);
 #else
     constexpr const char* APP_VERSION = "custom";
 #endif