diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index b919883..22e6693 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-VERSION := 0.8.20
+VERSION := 0.8.21
 .PHONY: lint vis clean common client server passwd subpkgs install uninstall reinstall
 
 ## Tag version of binaries with build info wrt.
diff --git a/xs/xs.go b/xs/xs.go
index 07f64d5..452157f 100755
--- a/xs/xs.go
+++ b/xs/xs.go
@@ -727,6 +727,11 @@ func main() {
 	}
 	flag.Parse()
 
+	if vopt {
+		fmt.Printf("version %s (%s)\n", version, gitCommit)
+		exitWithStatus(0)
+	}
+
 	if cpuprofile != "" {
 		f, err := os.Create(cpuprofile)
 		if err != nil {
@@ -802,11 +807,6 @@ func main() {
 		exitWithStatus(0)
 	}
 
-	if vopt {
-		fmt.Printf("version %s (%s)\n", version, gitCommit)
-		exitWithStatus(0)
-	}
-
 	if len(cmdStr) != 0 && (len(copySrc) != 0 || len(copyDst) != 0) {
 		log.Fatal("incompatible options -- either cmd (-x) or copy ops but not both")
 	}