diff --git a/src/SquidStd.Core/Data/Bootstrap/SquidStdOptions.cs b/src/SquidStd.Core/Data/Bootstrap/SquidStdOptions.cs
index ac97e72..5024eea 100644
--- a/src/SquidStd.Core/Data/Bootstrap/SquidStdOptions.cs
+++ b/src/SquidStd.Core/Data/Bootstrap/SquidStdOptions.cs
@@ -20,4 +20,11 @@ public sealed class SquidStdOptions
     /// "Application" property. When null or empty, the entry assembly name is used.
     /// </summary>
     public string? AppName { get; set; }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Gets or sets the application version used in the startup banner and as the Serilog
+    /// "ApplicationVersion" property. When null or empty, the entry assembly informational
+    /// version is used.
+    /// </summary>
+    public string? AppVersion { get; set; }
 }
diff --git a/src/SquidStd.Services.Core/Services/Bootstrap/SquidStdBootstrap.cs b/src/SquidStd.Services.Core/Services/Bootstrap/SquidStdBootstrap.cs
index fe534e0..a932295 100644
--- a/src/SquidStd.Services.Core/Services/Bootstrap/SquidStdBootstrap.cs
+++ b/src/SquidStd.Services.Core/Services/Bootstrap/SquidStdBootstrap.cs
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ public async ValueTask StartAsync(CancellationToken cancellationToken = default)
             logger.Information(
                 "{Application:l} {ApplicationVersion:l} starting (SquidStd {SquidStdVersion:l}, config {ConfigName}, root {RootDirectory})",
                 appName,
-                ResolveVersion(Assembly.GetEntryAssembly()),
+                ResolveAppVersion(Options),
                 ResolveVersion(typeof(SquidStdBootstrap).Assembly),
                 Options.ConfigName,
                 Options.RootDirectory
@@ -317,6 +317,11 @@ private static string ResolveAppName(SquidStdOptions options)
                ? options.AppName
                : Assembly.GetEntryAssembly()?.GetName().Name ?? "SquidStd";
 
+    private static string ResolveAppVersion(SquidStdOptions options)
+        => !string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(options.AppVersion)
+               ? options.AppVersion
+               : ResolveVersion(Assembly.GetEntryAssembly());
+
     private static string ResolveVersion(Assembly? assembly)
     {
         var informational = assembly?.GetCustomAttribute<AssemblyInformationalVersionAttribute>()
@@ -344,7 +349,7 @@ private void ConfigureLogger()
 
         loggerConfiguration
             .Enrich.WithProperty("Application", ResolveAppName(Options))
-            .Enrich.WithProperty("ApplicationVersion", ResolveVersion(Assembly.GetEntryAssembly()));
+            .Enrich.WithProperty("ApplicationVersion", ResolveAppVersion(Options));
 
         if (options.MinimumLevel != LogLevelType.None)
         {
diff --git a/tests/SquidStd.Tests/Bootstrap/SquidStdBootstrapLifecycleLoggingTests.cs b/tests/SquidStd.Tests/Bootstrap/SquidStdBootstrapLifecycleLoggingTests.cs
index 4bbb0cb..a6eada9 100644
--- a/tests/SquidStd.Tests/Bootstrap/SquidStdBootstrapLifecycleLoggingTests.cs
+++ b/tests/SquidStd.Tests/Bootstrap/SquidStdBootstrapLifecycleLoggingTests.cs
@@ -35,6 +35,33 @@ public async Task ConfigureLogging_AttachesContainerSinksAndEnrichesEvents()
         Assert.True(probe.Properties.ContainsKey("ApplicationVersion"));
     }
 
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task AppVersion_Override_IsUsedForEnrichment()
+    {
+        using var temp = new TempDirectory();
+        var sink = new CapturingLogSink();
+        await using var bootstrap = SquidStdBootstrap.Create(
+            new SquidStdOptions
+            {
+                ConfigName = "app",
+                RootDirectory = temp.Path,
+                AppName = "MyApp",
+                AppVersion = "9.9.9-test"
+            }
+        );
+        bootstrap.ConfigureServices(c =>
+        {
+            c.RegisterInstance<ILogEventSink>(sink);
+            return c;
+        });
+
+        bootstrap.ConfigureLogging();
+        Serilog.Log.Information("probe");
+
+        var probe = sink.Events.Single(e => e.MessageTemplate.Text == "probe");
+        Assert.Equal("\"9.9.9-test\"", probe.Properties["ApplicationVersion"].ToString());
+    }
+
     [Fact]
     public async Task AppName_DefaultsToEntryAssemblyName()
     {