diff --git a/.github/workflows/publish-images.yaml b/.github/workflows/publish-images.yaml
index b0b886ad6b..122479a305 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/publish-images.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/publish-images.yaml
@@ -15,6 +15,12 @@ jobs:
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v2
 
+      - name: Unshallow 
+        run: git fetch --prune --unshallow
+
+      - name: Describe the current state 
+        run: git describe --tags
+
       - name: Set env vars for the job
         run: |
           grep -v '\#' versions.txt | grep opentelemetry-collector | awk -F= '{print "OTELCOL_VERSION="$2}' >> $GITHUB_ENV
@@ -63,8 +69,8 @@ jobs:
           labels: ${{ steps.docker_meta.outputs.labels }}
           build-args: |
             VERSION_PKG=github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-operator/internal/version
-            VERSION=${VERSION}
-            VERSION_DATE=${VERSION_DATE}
-            OTELCOL_VERSION=${OTELCOL_VERSION}
+            VERSION=${{ env.VERSION }}
+            VERSION_DATE=${{ env.VERSION_DATE }}
+            OTELCOL_VERSION=${{ env.OTELCOL_VERSION }}
           cache-from: type=local,src=/tmp/.buildx-cache
           cache-to: type=local,dest=/tmp/.buildx-cache
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 120ae50830..3fe73dbe27 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -70,6 +70,18 @@ func main() {
 
 	// Add flags related to this operator
 	v := version.Get()
+	logger := zap.New(zap.UseFlagOptions(&opts))
+	ctrl.SetLogger(logger)
+
+	logger.Info("Starting the OpenTelemetry Operator",
+		"opentelemetry-operator", v.Operator,
+		"opentelemetry-collector", v.OpenTelemetryCollector,
+		"build-date", v.BuildDate,
+		"go-version", v.Go,
+		"go-arch", runtime.GOARCH,
+		"go-os", runtime.GOOS,
+	)
+
 	restConfig := ctrl.GetConfigOrDie()
 
 	// builds the operator's configuration
@@ -89,18 +101,6 @@ func main() {
 
 	pflag.Parse()
 
-	logger := zap.New(zap.UseFlagOptions(&opts))
-	ctrl.SetLogger(logger)
-
-	logger.Info("Starting the OpenTelemetry Operator",
-		"opentelemetry-operator", v.Operator,
-		"opentelemetry-collector", v.OpenTelemetryCollector,
-		"build-date", v.BuildDate,
-		"go-version", v.Go,
-		"go-arch", runtime.GOARCH,
-		"go-os", runtime.GOOS,
-	)
-
 	watchNamespace, found := os.LookupEnv("WATCH_NAMESPACE")
 	if found {
 		setupLog.Info("watching namespace(s)", "namespaces", watchNamespace)