diff --git a/src/prx/main.py b/src/prx/main.py
index 7a682e29..eae0991c 100644
--- a/src/prx/main.py
+++ b/src/prx/main.py
@@ -7,8 +7,8 @@
 import pandas as pd
 import numpy as np
 import git
-import prx.util
-from prx import atmospheric_corrections as atmo, util
+import prx.util as util
+from prx import atmospheric_corrections as atmo
 from prx.constants import carrier_frequencies_hz
 from prx.rinex_obs.parser import parse_rinex_obs_file
 from prx.util import is_rinex_3_obs_file, is_rinex_3_nav_file
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 log = util.get_logger(__name__)
 
 
-@prx.util.timeit
+@util.timeit
 def write_prx_file(
     prx_header: dict,
     prx_records: pd.DataFrame,
@@ -144,9 +144,14 @@ def build_metadata(input_files):
         }
         for file in files
     ]
-    prx_metadata["prx_git_commit_id"] = git.Repo(
-        path=Path(__file__).parent, search_parent_directories=True
-    ).head.object.hexsha
+    try:
+        prx_metadata["prx_git_commit_id"] = (
+            util.git_sha_of_this_package()
+            or util.git_sha_from_dist_info("prx")
+            or "unknown"
+        )
+    except git.exc.InvalidGitRepositoryError:
+        prx_metadata["prx_git_commit_id"] = "not_a_git_repository"
     return prx_metadata
 
 
@@ -177,7 +182,7 @@ def warm_up_parser_cache(rinex_files):
     _ = [parse_rinex_nav_or_obs_file(file) for file in rinex_files]
 
 
-@prx.util.timeit
+@util.timeit
 def build_records_levels_12(
     rinex_3_obs_file,
     rinex_3_ephemerides_files,
@@ -378,7 +383,7 @@ def assign_carrier_frequencies(flat_obs):
     return flat_obs
 
 
-@prx.util.timeit
+@util.timeit
 def process(observation_file_path: Path, prx_level=2, model_tropo="saastamoinen"):
     t0 = pd.Timestamp.now()
     # We expect a Path, but might get a string here:
@@ -387,7 +392,7 @@ def process(observation_file_path: Path, prx_level=2, model_tropo="saastamoinen"
         f"Starting processing {observation_file_path.name} (full path {observation_file_path})"
     )
     rinex_3_obs_file = converters.anything_to_rinex_3(observation_file_path)
-    rinex_3_obs_file = prx.util.try_repair_with_gfzrnx(rinex_3_obs_file)
+    rinex_3_obs_file = util.try_repair_with_gfzrnx(rinex_3_obs_file)
     prx_file = rinex_3_obs_file.with_suffix("")
     match prx_level:
         case 1 | 2:
diff --git a/src/prx/util.py b/src/prx/util.py
index a4a4fe75..37be1d60 100644
--- a/src/prx/util.py
+++ b/src/prx/util.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import json
 import logging
 import math
 import os
@@ -6,6 +7,8 @@
 import subprocess
 from functools import wraps
 from pathlib import Path
+import importlib.metadata as md
+import git
 
 import georinex
 import joblib
@@ -482,3 +485,39 @@ def compute_gps_utc_leap_seconds(yyyy: int, doy: int):
             break
     assert ~np.isnan(ls), "GPS leap second could not be retrieved"
     return ls
+
+
+def git_sha_of_this_package() -> str | None:
+    if (Path(__file__).parent.resolve() / ".git").exists():
+        repo = git.Repo(path=Path(__file__).parent)
+        git_commit_id = (
+            f"{repo.head.object.hexsha}{'_dirty' if repo.is_dirty() else ''}"
+        )
+        return git_commit_id
+    return None  # not a git checkout (e.g., installed wheel)
+
+
+def git_sha_from_dist_info(dist_name: str) -> str | None:
+    try:
+        dist = md.distribution(dist_name)
+    except md.PackageNotFoundError:
+        return None
+
+    # Look for the PEP 610 file
+    direct_url = Path(dist.locate_file("direct_url.json"))
+    if not direct_url.exists():
+        # some installers nest it inside the dist-info directory
+        dist_info_dir = Path(dist._path) if hasattr(dist, "_path") else None
+        if dist_info_dir:
+            direct_url = dist_info_dir / "direct_url.json"
+    if not direct_url.exists():
+        return None
+
+    try:
+        data = json.loads(direct_url.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
+        # Expected shape for VCS installs:
+        # {"url": "...", "vcs_info": {"vcs": "git", "requested_revision": "...", "commit_id": "..."}}
+        vcs_info = data.get("vcs_info") or {}
+        return vcs_info.get("commit_id") or vcs_info.get("requested_revision")
+    except Exception:
+        return None