diff --git a/HISTORY.md b/HISTORY.md
index 851a1a72..2185c45e 100644
--- a/HISTORY.md
+++ b/HISTORY.md
@@ -4,6 +4,17 @@ All notable changes to this project will be documented in this file.
 
 ## unreleased
 
+* Added
+  * CLI got a new switch `--no-version-normalization`. (via [#138])  
+    That allows to omit component version-string normalization.  
+    Per default this plugin will normalize version strings by stripping leading "v".  
+    This is a compatibility-switch. The next major-version of this plugin will not modify component versions. (see [#102])
+
+[#138]: https://github.com/CycloneDX/cyclonedx-php-composer/pull/138
+[#102]: https://github.com/CycloneDX/cyclonedx-php-composer/issues/102
+
+
+
 ## 3.6.0 - 2021-10-15
 
 * Added
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index c4bb35a1..b48040f8 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -47,9 +47,12 @@ Options:
       --exclude-plugins              Exclude composer plugins
       --spec-version=SPEC-VERSION    Which version of CycloneDX spec to use.
                                      Values: "1.1", "1.2", "1.3" [default: "1.3"]
-      --no-validate                  Dont validate the resulting output
+      --no-validate                  Don't validate the resulting output
       --mc-version=MC-VERSION        Version of the main component.
                                      This will override auto-detection.
+      --no-version-normalization     Don't normalize component version strings.
+                                     Per default this plugin will normalize version strings by stripping leading "v".
+                                     This is a compatibility-switch. The next major-version of this plugin will not modify component versions.
   -h, --help                         Display this help message
   -q, --quiet                        Do not output any message
   -V, --version                      Display this application version
diff --git a/src/Builders/ComponentBuilder.php b/src/Builders/ComponentBuilder.php
index 0519f583..0d48d7d5 100644
--- a/src/Builders/ComponentBuilder.php
+++ b/src/Builders/ComponentBuilder.php
@@ -48,12 +48,17 @@ class ComponentBuilder
     /** @var PackageUrlFactory */
     private $packageUrlFactory;
 
+    /** @var bool */
+    private $enableVersionNormalization;
+
     public function __construct(
         LicenseFactory $licenseFactory,
-        PackageUrlFactory $packageUrlFactory
+        PackageUrlFactory $packageUrlFactory,
+        bool $enableVersionNormalization = true
     ) {
         $this->licenseFactory = $licenseFactory;
         $this->packageUrlFactory = $packageUrlFactory;
+        $this->enableVersionNormalization = $enableVersionNormalization;
     }
 
     public function getLicenseFactory(): LicenseFactory
@@ -66,6 +71,13 @@ public function getPackageUrlFactory(): PackageUrlFactory
         return $this->packageUrlFactory;
     }
 
+    public function setVersionNormalization(bool $enableVersionNormalization): self
+    {
+        $this->enableVersionNormalization = $enableVersionNormalization;
+
+        return $this;
+    }
+
     /**
      * @throws UnexpectedValueException if the given package does not provide a name or version
      */
@@ -144,17 +156,22 @@ private function getPackageVersion(PackageInterface $package): string
             return $version;
         }
 
-        // Versions of Composer packages may be prefixed with "v".
-        //     * This prefix appears to be problematic for CPE and PURL matching and thus is removed here.
-        //     *
-        //     * See for example {@link https://ossindex.sonatype.org/component/pkg:composer/phpmailer/phpmailer@v6.0.7}
-        //     * vs {@link https://ossindex.sonatype.org/component/pkg:composer/phpmailer/phpmailer@6.0.7}.
-        //
-        // A _numeric_ version can be prefixed with 'v'.
-        // Strip leading 'v' must not be applied if the "version" is actually a branch name,
-        // which is totally fine in the composer ecosystem.
-        if (1 === preg_match('/^v\\d/', $version)) {
-            return substr($version, 1);
+        if ($this->enableVersionNormalization) {
+            // Versions of Composer packages may be prefixed with "v".
+            //     * This prefix appears to be problematic for CPE and PURL matching and thus is removed here.
+            //     *
+            //     * See for example {@link https://ossindex.sonatype.org/component/pkg:composer/phpmailer/phpmailer@v6.0.7}
+            //     * vs {@link https://ossindex.sonatype.org/component/pkg:composer/phpmailer/phpmailer@6.0.7}.
+            //
+            // A _numeric_ version can be prefixed with 'v'.
+            // Strip leading 'v' must not be applied if the "version" is actually a branch name,
+            // which is totally fine in the composer ecosystem.
+            //
+            // will be removed via https://github.com/CycloneDX/cyclonedx-php-composer/issues/102
+            // @TODO remove the whole normalizer with next major version
+            if (1 === preg_match('/^v\\d/', $version)) {
+                return substr($version, 1);
+            }
         }
 
         return $version;
diff --git a/src/MakeBom/Command.php b/src/MakeBom/Command.php
index b34c5218..ff391d2d 100644
--- a/src/MakeBom/Command.php
+++ b/src/MakeBom/Command.php
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ class Command extends BaseCommand
     /**
      * @var \CycloneDX\Composer\Builders\BomBuilder
      */
-    private $bomFactory;
+    private $bomBuilder;
 
     /**
      * @var ToolUpdater|null
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ public function __construct(
     ) {
         $this->options = $options;
         $this->factory = $factory;
-        $this->bomFactory = $bomFactory;
+        $this->bomBuilder = $bomFactory;
         $this->toolUpdater = $toolUpdater;
         parent::__construct($name);
     }
@@ -117,6 +117,10 @@ protected function execute(InputInterface $input, OutputInterface $output): int
         }
         $io->writeErrorRaw(__METHOD__.' Options: '.print_r($this->options, true), true, IOInterface::DEBUG);
 
+        $this->bomBuilder->getComponentBuilder()->setVersionNormalization(
+          false === $this->options->omitVersionNormalization
+        );
+
         $this->updateTool();
 
         $bomString = $this->makeBomString(
@@ -164,7 +168,7 @@ private function makeBom(Composer $composer): Bom
         $components = $this->factory->makeLockerFromComposerForOptions($composer, $this->options);
         $rootComponentVersionOverride = $this->options->mainComponentVersion;
 
-        $bom = $this->bomFactory->makeForPackageWithRequires($rootPackage, $components, $rootComponentVersionOverride);
+        $bom = $this->bomBuilder->makeForPackageWithRequires($rootPackage, $components, $rootComponentVersionOverride);
 
         $io->writeErrorRaw('Bom: '.print_r($bom, true), true, IOInterface::DEBUG);
 
@@ -264,7 +268,7 @@ private function updateTool(): ?bool
             $lockerRepo = $locker->getLockedRepository($withDevReqs);
 
             // @TODO better use the installed-repo than the lockerRepo - as of milestone v4
-            return $updater->updateTool($this->bomFactory->getTool(), $lockerRepo);
+            return $updater->updateTool($this->bomBuilder->getTool(), $lockerRepo);
         } catch (\Exception $exception) {
             return false;
         }
diff --git a/src/MakeBom/Options.php b/src/MakeBom/Options.php
index 5e4564b6..2f0dae71 100644
--- a/src/MakeBom/Options.php
+++ b/src/MakeBom/Options.php
@@ -46,6 +46,10 @@ class Options
     private const SWITCH_EXCLUDE_PLUGINS = 'exclude-plugins';
     private const SWITCH_NO_VALIDATE = 'no-validate';
 
+    // added in preparation for https://github.com/CycloneDX/cyclonedx-php-composer/issues/102
+    // @TODO remove with next major version
+    private const SWITCH_NO_VERSION_NORMALIZATION = 'no-version-normalization';
+
     private const ARGUMENT_COMPOSER_FILE = 'composer-file';
 
     public const OUTPUT_FORMAT_XML = 'XML';
@@ -111,7 +115,7 @@ public function configureCommand(Command $command): void
                 self::SWITCH_NO_VALIDATE,
                 null,
                 InputOption::VALUE_NONE,
-                'Dont validate the resulting output'
+                'Don\'t validate the resulting output'
             )
             ->addOption(
                 self::OPTION_MAIN_COMPONENT_VERSION,
@@ -121,6 +125,14 @@ public function configureCommand(Command $command): void
                 'This will override auto-detection.',
                 null
             )
+            ->addOption(
+                self::SWITCH_NO_VERSION_NORMALIZATION,
+                null,
+                InputOption::VALUE_NONE,
+                'Don\'t normalize component version strings.'.\PHP_EOL.
+                'Per default this plugin will normalize version strings by stripping leading "v".'.\PHP_EOL.
+                'This is a compatibility-switch. The next major-version of this plugin will not modify component versions.'
+            )
             ->addArgument(
                 self::ARGUMENT_COMPOSER_FILE,
                 InputArgument::OPTIONAL,
@@ -151,6 +163,13 @@ public function configureCommand(Command $command): void
      */
     public $excludePlugins = false;
 
+    /**
+     * @var bool
+     * @readonly
+     * @psalm-allow-private-mutation
+     */
+    public $omitVersionNormalization = false;
+
     /**
      * @var string
      * @psalm-var Options::OUTPUT_FORMAT_*
@@ -214,6 +233,7 @@ public function setFromInput(InputInterface $input): self
         $excludeDev = false !== $input->getOption(self::SWITCH_EXCLUDE_DEV);
         $excludePlugins = false !== $input->getOption(self::SWITCH_EXCLUDE_PLUGINS);
         $skipOutputValidation = false !== $input->getOption(self::SWITCH_NO_VALIDATE);
+        $omitVersionNormalization = false !== $input->getOption(self::SWITCH_NO_VERSION_NORMALIZATION);
         $outputFile = $input->getOption(self::OPTION_OUTPUT_FILE);
         \assert(null === $outputFile || \is_string($outputFile));
         $composerFile = $input->getArgument(self::ARGUMENT_COMPOSER_FILE);
@@ -233,6 +253,7 @@ public function setFromInput(InputInterface $input): self
         $this->excludePlugins = $excludePlugins;
         $this->outputFormat = $outputFormat;
         $this->skipOutputValidation = $skipOutputValidation;
+        $this->omitVersionNormalization = $omitVersionNormalization;
         $this->outputFile = \is_string($outputFile) && '' !== $outputFile
             ? $outputFile
             : self::OUTPUT_FILE_DEFAULT[$outputFormat];
diff --git a/tests/Builders/ComponentBuilderTest.php b/tests/Builders/ComponentBuilderTest.php
index 14a3b193..9756c3ac 100644
--- a/tests/Builders/ComponentBuilderTest.php
+++ b/tests/Builders/ComponentBuilderTest.php
@@ -130,12 +130,14 @@ public function testMakeFromPackageEmptPurlOnThrow(): void
     public function testMakeFromPackage(
         PackageInterface $package,
         Component $expected,
+        bool $enableVersionNormalization = true,
         ?LicenseFactory $licenseFactory = null
     ): void {
         $packageUrlFactory = $this->createMock(PackageUrlFactory::class);
         $builder = new ComponentBuilder(
             $licenseFactory ?? $this->createStub(LicenseFactory::class),
-            $packageUrlFactory
+            $packageUrlFactory,
+            $enableVersionNormalization
         );
 
         $purlMadeFromComponent = null;
@@ -172,6 +174,7 @@ public function dpMakeFromPackage(): \Generator
             (new Component('library', 'some-library', '1.2.3'))
                 ->setPackageUrl((new PackageUrl('composer', 'some-library'))->setVersion('1.2.3'))
                 ->setBomRefValue('pkg:composer/some-library@1.2.3'),
+            true,
             null,
         ];
 
@@ -187,6 +190,7 @@ public function dpMakeFromPackage(): \Generator
             (new Component('application', 'some-project', '1.2.3'))
                 ->setPackageUrl((new PackageUrl('composer', 'some-project'))->setVersion('1.2.3'))
                 ->setBomRefValue('pkg:composer/some-project@1.2.3'),
+            true,
             null,
         ];
 
@@ -202,6 +206,7 @@ public function dpMakeFromPackage(): \Generator
             (new Component('application', 'some-composer-plugin', '1.2.3'))
                 ->setPackageUrl((new PackageUrl('composer', 'some-composer-plugin'))->setVersion('1.2.3'))
                 ->setBomRefValue('pkg:composer/some-composer-plugin@1.2.3'),
+            true,
             null,
         ];
 
@@ -218,6 +223,7 @@ public function dpMakeFromPackage(): \Generator
             (new Component('library', 'some-inDev', 'dev-master'))
                 ->setPackageUrl((new PackageUrl('composer', 'some-inDev'))->setVersion('dev-master'))
                 ->setBomRefValue('pkg:composer/some-inDev@dev-master'),
+            true,
             null,
         ];
 
@@ -233,6 +239,7 @@ public function dpMakeFromPackage(): \Generator
             (new Component('library', 'some-noVersion', RootPackage::DEFAULT_PRETTY_VERSION))
                 ->setPackageUrl((new PackageUrl('composer', 'some-noVersion'))->setVersion(null))
                 ->setBomRefValue('pkg:composer/some-noVersion'),
+            true,
             null,
         ];
 
@@ -266,7 +273,28 @@ public function dpMakeFromPackage(): \Generator
                 ->setLicense($license)
                 ->setHashRepository(new HashRepository([HashAlgorithm::SHA_1 => '12345678901234567890123456789012']))
                 ->setBomRefValue('pkg:composer/my/package@1.2.3?checksum=sha1:12345678901234567890123456789012'),
+            true,
             $licenseFactory,
         ];
+
+        yield 'library with non-normalized version' => [
+            $this->createConfiguredMock(
+                CompletePackageInterface::class,
+                [
+                    'getPrettyName' => 'my/package',
+                    'getPrettyVersion' => 'v1.2.3',
+                ]
+            ),
+            (new Component('library', 'package', 'v1.2.3'))
+                ->setGroup('my')
+                ->setPackageUrl(
+                    (new PackageUrl('composer', 'package'))
+                        ->setNamespace('my')
+                        ->setVersion('v1.2.3')
+                )
+                ->setBomRefValue('pkg:composer/my/package@v1.2.3'),
+            false,
+            null,
+        ];
     }
 }
diff --git a/tests/MakeBom/OptionsTest.php b/tests/MakeBom/OptionsTest.php
index 61e97665..e68d5a39 100644
--- a/tests/MakeBom/OptionsTest.php
+++ b/tests/MakeBom/OptionsTest.php
@@ -90,6 +90,9 @@ public static function dpSetFromInput(): \Generator
             ['--spec-version=1.1', 'specVersion', Version::V_1_1],
             ['--spec-version=1.2', 'specVersion', Version::V_1_2],
             ['--spec-version=1.3', 'specVersion', Version::V_1_3],
+            /* @see \CycloneDX\Composer\MakeBom\Options::$omitVersionNormalization */
+            'omitVersionNormalization default' => ['', 'omitVersionNormalization', false],
+            ['--no-version-normalization', 'omitVersionNormalization', true],
             /* @see \CycloneDX\Composer\MakeBom\Options::$composerFile */
             'composerFile default to null' => ['', 'composerFile', null],
             ['my/project/composer.json', 'composerFile', 'my/project/composer.json'],