diff --git a/json-java.gemspec b/json-java.gemspec
index b766fa2f..5a5b61a5 100644
--- a/json-java.gemspec
+++ b/json-java.gemspec
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
+version = File.foreach(File.join(__dir__, "lib/json/version.rb")) do |line|
+  /^\s*VERSION\s*=\s*'(.*)'/ =~ line and break $1
+end rescue nil
+
 spec = Gem::Specification.new do |s|
   s.name = "json"
-  s.version = File.read("VERSION").chomp
+  s.version = version
 
   s.summary = "JSON Implementation for Ruby"
   s.description = "A JSON implementation as a JRuby extension."
diff --git a/json.gemspec b/json.gemspec
index 9cd4ceee..33d21407 100644
--- a/json.gemspec
+++ b/json.gemspec
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
+version = File.foreach(File.join(__dir__, "lib/json/version.rb")) do |line|
+  /^\s*VERSION\s*=\s*'(.*)'/ =~ line and break $1
+end rescue nil
+
 Gem::Specification.new do |s|
   s.name = "json"
-  s.version = File.read(File.expand_path('../VERSION', __FILE__)).chomp
+  s.version = version
 
   s.summary = "JSON Implementation for Ruby"
   s.description = "This is a JSON implementation as a Ruby extension in C."
diff --git a/json_pure.gemspec b/json_pure.gemspec
index 7b42a714..26f1fb3a 100644
--- a/json_pure.gemspec
+++ b/json_pure.gemspec
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
+version = File.foreach(File.join(__dir__, "lib/json/version.rb")) do |line|
+  /^\s*VERSION\s*=\s*'(.*)'/ =~ line and break $1
+end rescue nil
+
 Gem::Specification.new do |s|
   s.name = "json_pure".freeze
-  s.version = File.read("VERSION").chomp
+  s.version = version
 
   s.summary = "JSON Implementation for Ruby".freeze
   s.description = "This is a JSON implementation in pure Ruby.".freeze