diff --git a/SCYLLA-VERSION-GEN b/SCYLLA-VERSION-GEN
index a218857fca..c74f7038cb 100755
--- a/SCYLLA-VERSION-GEN
+++ b/SCYLLA-VERSION-GEN
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ fi
 
 # Default scylla product/version tags
 PRODUCT=scylla
-VERSION=5.1.dev
+VERSION=5.1.0-dev
 
 if test -f version
 then
diff --git a/configure.py b/configure.py
index b1e13d380f..127998d9f7 100755
--- a/configure.py
+++ b/configure.py
@@ -1535,7 +1535,7 @@ if status != 0:
     sys.exit(1)
 
 file = open(f'{outdir}/SCYLLA-VERSION-FILE', 'r')
-scylla_version = file.read().strip()
+scylla_version = file.read().strip().replace('-', '~')
 file = open(f'{outdir}/SCYLLA-RELEASE-FILE', 'r')
 scylla_release = file.read().strip()
 file = open(f'{outdir}/SCYLLA-PRODUCT-FILE', 'r')
@@ -2153,7 +2153,7 @@ with open(buildfile, 'w') as f:
         build dist-server: phony dist-server-tar dist-server-compat dist-server-compat-arch dist-server-rpm dist-server-deb
 
         rule build-submodule-reloc
-          command = cd $reloc_dir && ./reloc/build_reloc.sh --version $$(<../../build/SCYLLA-PRODUCT-FILE)-$$(<../../build/SCYLLA-VERSION-FILE)-$$(<../../build/SCYLLA-RELEASE-FILE) --nodeps $args
+          command = cd $reloc_dir && ./reloc/build_reloc.sh --version $$(<../../build/SCYLLA-PRODUCT-FILE)-$$(sed 's/-/~/' <../../build/SCYLLA-VERSION-FILE)-$$(<../../build/SCYLLA-RELEASE-FILE) --nodeps $args
         rule build-submodule-rpm
           command = cd $dir && ./reloc/build_rpm.sh --reloc-pkg $artifact
         rule build-submodule-deb
diff --git a/dist/debian/debian_files_gen.py b/dist/debian/debian_files_gen.py
index 903429877b..50dc423f09 100755
--- a/dist/debian/debian_files_gen.py
+++ b/dist/debian/debian_files_gen.py
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ with open('build/SCYLLA-PRODUCT-FILE') as f:
     product = f.read().strip()
 
 with open('build/SCYLLA-VERSION-FILE') as f:
-    version = f.read().strip().replace('.rc', '~rc').replace('_', '-')
+    version = f.read().strip().replace('-', '~')
 
 with open('build/SCYLLA-RELEASE-FILE') as f:
     release = f.read().strip()
diff --git a/dist/docker/debian/build_docker.sh b/dist/docker/debian/build_docker.sh
index 9e338910b3..601cc371e0 100755
--- a/dist/docker/debian/build_docker.sh
+++ b/dist/docker/debian/build_docker.sh
@@ -9,13 +9,9 @@
 #
 
 product="$(<build/SCYLLA-PRODUCT-FILE)"
-version="$(<build/SCYLLA-VERSION-FILE)"
+version="$(sed 's/-/~/' <build/SCYLLA-VERSION-FILE)"
 release="$(<build/SCYLLA-RELEASE-FILE)"
 
-if [[ "$version" = *rc* ]]; then
- version=$(echo $version |sed 's/\(.*\)\.)*/\1~/')
-fi
-
 mode="release"
 
 if uname -m | grep x86_64 ; then
diff --git a/reloc/build_rpm.sh b/reloc/build_rpm.sh
index ee4ea82110..49bde82834 100755
--- a/reloc/build_rpm.sh
+++ b/reloc/build_rpm.sh
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ tar -C $BUILDDIR/ -xpf $RELOC_PKG scylla/SCYLLA-RELOCATABLE-FILE scylla/SCYLLA-R
 cd $BUILDDIR/scylla
 
 RELOC_PKG_BASENAME=$(basename $RELOC_PKG)
-SCYLLA_VERSION=$(cat SCYLLA-VERSION-FILE)
+SCYLLA_VERSION=$(sed 's/-/~/' SCYLLA-VERSION-FILE)
 SCYLLA_RELEASE=$(cat SCYLLA-RELEASE-FILE)
 PRODUCT=$(cat SCYLLA-PRODUCT-FILE)
 
diff --git a/unified/build_unified.sh b/unified/build_unified.sh
index 8e69cc49e3..314f64d3d0 100755
--- a/unified/build_unified.sh
+++ b/unified/build_unified.sh
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ if [ ! -f build/SCYLLA-PRODUCT-FILE ]; then
     ./SCYLLA-VERSION-GEN
 fi
 PRODUCT=`cat build/SCYLLA-PRODUCT-FILE`
-VERSION=`cat build/SCYLLA-VERSION-FILE`
+VERSION=`sed 's/-/~/' build/SCYLLA-VERSION-FILE`
 VERSION_ESC=${VERSION//./\.}
 RELEASE=`cat build/SCYLLA-RELEASE-FILE`
 RELEASE_ESC=${RELEASE//./\.}