diff --git a/modules/kobalt-plugin-api/src/main/kotlin/com/beust/kobalt/Args.kt b/modules/kobalt-plugin-api/src/main/kotlin/com/beust/kobalt/Args.kt
index b8cdc2fe..d1cdc078 100644
--- a/modules/kobalt-plugin-api/src/main/kotlin/com/beust/kobalt/Args.kt
+++ b/modules/kobalt-plugin-api/src/main/kotlin/com/beust/kobalt/Args.kt
@@ -101,5 +101,8 @@ class Args {
 
     @Parameter(names = arrayOf("--update"), description = "Update to the latest version of Kobalt")
     var update: Boolean = false
+
+    @Parameter(names = arrayOf("--version"), description = "Display the current version of Kobalt")
+    var version: Boolean = false
 }
 
diff --git a/modules/wrapper/src/main/java/com/beust/kobalt/wrapper/Main.java b/modules/wrapper/src/main/java/com/beust/kobalt/wrapper/Main.java
index f57db6d2..40e21ea5 100644
--- a/modules/wrapper/src/main/java/com/beust/kobalt/wrapper/Main.java
+++ b/modules/wrapper/src/main/java/com/beust/kobalt/wrapper/Main.java
@@ -47,7 +47,6 @@ public class Main {
 
     private int installAndLaunchMain(String[] argv) throws IOException, InterruptedException {
         String version = getVersion();
-        initWrapperFile(version);
 
         List<String> kobaltArgv = new ArrayList<>();
         boolean noLaunch = false;
@@ -78,6 +77,7 @@ public class Main {
         }
         int result = 0;
         if (! exit) {
+            initWrapperFile(version);
             Path kobaltJarFile = installDistribution();
             if (!noLaunch) {
                 result = launchMain(kobaltJarFile, kobaltArgv);
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ public class Main {
     }
 
     private String getWrapperVersion() {
-        return wrapperProperties.getProperty(PROPERTY_VERSION);
+        return wrapperProperties.getProperty(PROPERTY_VERSION, "N/A");
     }
 
     private String getWrapperDownloadUrl(String version) {
diff --git a/src/main/kotlin/com/beust/kobalt/Main.kt b/src/main/kotlin/com/beust/kobalt/Main.kt
index aeedb001..1cfa9902 100644
--- a/src/main/kotlin/com/beust/kobalt/Main.kt
+++ b/src/main/kotlin/com/beust/kobalt/Main.kt
@@ -38,6 +38,14 @@ class Main @Inject constructor(
     companion object {
         fun mainNoExit(argv: Array<String>): Int {
             val (jc, args) = parseArgs(argv)
+            if (args.usage) {
+                jc.usage()
+                return 0
+            }
+            if (args.version) {
+                println("Kobalt ${Kobalt.version}")
+                return 0
+            }
             Kobalt.init(MainModule(args, KobaltSettings.readSettingsXml()))
             val result = launchMain(Kobalt.INJECTOR.getInstance(Main::class.java), jc, args, argv)
             return result