diff --git a/examples/chef/chef.py b/examples/chef/chef.py
index e69d3418fa021d..25db9f9da1aa94 100755
--- a/examples/chef/chef.py
+++ b/examples/chef/chef.py
@@ -595,7 +595,7 @@ def main() -> int:
     #
 
     if options.do_build:
-        sw_ver_string = ""
+        sw_ver_string = "v1.0"
 
         if options.do_automated_test_stamp:
             branch = ""
@@ -615,10 +615,11 @@ def main() -> int:
                     f"\"{truncated_sw_ver_string}\" due to 64 bytes limitation")
                 sw_ver_string = truncated_sw_ver_string
 
-        flush_print("Building...")
-
+        flush_print(f"Software Version String: \"{sw_ver_string}\"")
         flush_print(
             f"Product ID 0x{options.pid:02X} / Vendor ID 0x{options.vid:02X}")
+        flush_print("Building...")
+
         shell.run_cmd(f"cd {_CHEF_SCRIPT_PATH}")
 
         if (options.build_target == "esp32") or (options.build_target == "nrfconnect") or (options.build_target == "ameba"):
diff --git a/examples/chef/esp32/CMakeLists.txt b/examples/chef/esp32/CMakeLists.txt
index f4ea7c13eefede..887de566c7d7fb 100644
--- a/examples/chef/esp32/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/examples/chef/esp32/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ if(NOT ${CONFIG_DEVICE_PRODUCT_NAME} STREQUAL "")
 endif()
 if(NOT ${CHIP_DEVICE_CONFIG_DEVICE_SOFTWARE_VERSION_STRING} STREQUAL "")
     idf_build_set_property(COMPILE_OPTIONS "-DCHIP_DEVICE_CONFIG_DEVICE_SOFTWARE_VERSION_STRING=\"${CHIP_DEVICE_CONFIG_DEVICE_SOFTWARE_VERSION_STRING}\"" APPEND)
+    set(PROJECT_VER ${CHIP_DEVICE_CONFIG_DEVICE_SOFTWARE_VERSION_STRING})
 endif()
 idf_build_set_property(COMPILE_OPTIONS "-DCHIP_PLATFORM_ESP32=1" APPEND)