diff --git a/api/tangled/knotversion.go b/api/tangled/knotversion.go
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/api/tangled/knotversion.go
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+// Code generated by cmd/lexgen (see Makefile's lexgen); DO NOT EDIT.
+
+package tangled
+
+// schema: sh.tangled.knot.version
+
+import (
+	"context"
+
+	"github.com/bluesky-social/indigo/lex/util"
+)
+
+const (
+	KnotVersionNSID = "sh.tangled.knot.version"
+)
+
+// KnotVersion_Output is the output of a sh.tangled.knot.version call.
+type KnotVersion_Output struct {
+	Version string `json:"version" cborgen:"version"`
+}
+
+// KnotVersion calls the XRPC method "sh.tangled.knot.version".
+func KnotVersion(ctx context.Context, c util.LexClient) (*KnotVersion_Output, error) {
+	var out KnotVersion_Output
+	if err := c.LexDo(ctx, util.Query, "", "sh.tangled.knot.version", nil, nil, &out); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	return &out, nil
+}
diff --git a/knotserver/router.go b/knotserver/router.go
--- a/knotserver/router.go
+++ b/knotserver/router.go
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ "context"
 	"fmt"
 	"log/slog"
 	"net/http"
-	"runtime/debug"
 
 	"github.com/go-chi/chi/v5"
 	"tangled.sh/tangled.sh/core/idresolver"
@@ -82,10 +81,7 @@ })
 	})
 
 	// xrpc apis
-	r.Route("/xrpc", func(r chi.Router) {
-		r.Get("/_health", h.Version)
-		r.Mount("/", h.XrpcRouter())
-	})
+	r.Mount("/xrpc", h.XrpcRouter())
 
 	// Socket that streams git oplogs
 	r.Get("/events", h.Events)
@@ -109,54 +105,6 @@ Resolver:    h.resolver,
 		ServiceAuth: serviceAuth,
 	}
 	return xrpc.Router()
-}
-
-// version is set during build time.
-var version string
-
-func (h *Knot) Version(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
-	if version == "" {
-		info, ok := debug.ReadBuildInfo()
-		if !ok {
-			http.Error(w, "failed to read build info", http.StatusInternalServerError)
-			return
-		}
-
-		var modVer string
-		var sha string
-		var modified bool
-
-		for _, mod := range info.Deps {
-			if mod.Path == "tangled.sh/tangled.sh/knotserver" {
-				modVer = mod.Version
-				break
-			}
-		}
-
-		for _, setting := range info.Settings {
-			switch setting.Key {
-			case "vcs.revision":
-				sha = setting.Value
-			case "vcs.modified":
-				modified = setting.Value == "true"
-			}
-		}
-
-		if modVer == "" {
-			modVer = "unknown"
-		}
-
-		if sha == "" {
-			version = modVer
-		} else if modified {
-			version = fmt.Sprintf("%s (%s with modifications)", modVer, sha)
-		} else {
-			version = fmt.Sprintf("%s (%s)", modVer, sha)
-		}
-	}
-
-	w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "text/plain; charset=utf-8")
-	fmt.Fprintf(w, "knotserver/%s", version)
 }
 
 func (h *Knot) configureOwner() error {
diff --git a/knotserver/xrpc/version.go b/knotserver/xrpc/version.go
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/knotserver/xrpc/version.go
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+package xrpc
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
+	"net/http"
+	"runtime/debug"
+
+	"tangled.sh/tangled.sh/core/api/tangled"
+	xrpcerr "tangled.sh/tangled.sh/core/xrpc/errors"
+)
+
+// version is set during build time.
+var version string
+
+func (x *Xrpc) Version(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+	if version == "" {
+		info, ok := debug.ReadBuildInfo()
+		if !ok {
+			http.Error(w, "failed to read build info", http.StatusInternalServerError)
+			return
+		}
+
+		var modVer string
+		var sha string
+		var modified bool
+
+		for _, mod := range info.Deps {
+			if mod.Path == "tangled.sh/tangled.sh/knotserver/xrpc" {
+				modVer = mod.Version
+				break
+			}
+		}
+
+		for _, setting := range info.Settings {
+			switch setting.Key {
+			case "vcs.revision":
+				sha = setting.Value
+			case "vcs.modified":
+				modified = setting.Value == "true"
+			}
+		}
+
+		if modVer == "" {
+			modVer = "unknown"
+		}
+
+		if sha == "" {
+			version = modVer
+		} else if modified {
+			version = fmt.Sprintf("%s (%s with modifications)", modVer, sha)
+		} else {
+			version = fmt.Sprintf("%s (%s)", modVer, sha)
+		}
+	}
+
+	response := tangled.KnotVersion_Output{
+		Version: version,
+	}
+
+	w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
+	if err := json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(response); err != nil {
+		x.Logger.Error("failed to encode response", "error", err)
+		writeError(w, xrpcerr.NewXrpcError(
+			xrpcerr.WithTag("InternalServerError"),
+			xrpcerr.WithMessage("failed to encode response"),
+		), http.StatusInternalServerError)
+		return
+	}
+}
diff --git a/knotserver/xrpc/xrpc.go b/knotserver/xrpc/xrpc.go
--- a/knotserver/xrpc/xrpc.go
+++ b/knotserver/xrpc/xrpc.go
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ r.Get("/"+tangled.RepoLanguagesNSID, x.RepoLanguages)
 
 	// knot query endpoints (no auth required)
 	r.Get("/"+tangled.KnotListKeysNSID, x.ListKeys)
+	r.Get("/"+tangled.KnotVersionNSID, x.Version)
 
 	// service query endpoints (no auth required)
 	r.Get("/"+tangled.OwnerNSID, x.Owner)
diff --git a/lexicons/knot/version.json b/lexicons/knot/version.json
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lexicons/knot/version.json
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+{
+  "lexicon": 1,
+  "id": "sh.tangled.knot.version",
+  "defs": {
+    "main": {
+      "type": "query",
+      "description": "Get the version of a knot",
+      "output": {
+        "encoding": "application/json",
+        "schema": {
+          "type": "object",
+          "required": [
+            "version"
+          ],
+          "properties": {
+            "version": {
+              "type": "string"
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      },
+      "errors": []
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/nix/pkgs/knot-unwrapped.nix b/nix/pkgs/knot-unwrapped.nix
--- a/nix/pkgs/knot-unwrapped.nix
+++ b/nix/pkgs/knot-unwrapped.nix
@@ -4,15 +4,22 @@ modules,
   sqlite-lib,
   src,
 }:
+let
+  version = "1.8.1-alpha";
+in
 buildGoApplication {
   pname = "knot";
-  version = "0.1.0";
+  version = "1.8.1";
   inherit src modules;
 
   doCheck = false;
 
   subPackages = ["cmd/knot"];
   tags = ["libsqlite3"];
+
+  ldflags = [
+    "-X tangled.sh/tangled.sh/core/knotserver/xrpc.version=${version}"
+  ];
 
   env.CGO_CFLAGS = "-I ${sqlite-lib}/include ";
   env.CGO_LDFLAGS = "-L ${sqlite-lib}/lib";