diff --git a/source/dub/commandline.d b/source/dub/commandline.d
index ad71a53..43cf2ab 100644
--- a/source/dub/commandline.d
+++ b/source/dub/commandline.d
@@ -839,15 +839,16 @@
 	this()
 	{
 		this.name = "add-local";
-		this.argumentsPattern = "<path> <version>";
+		this.argumentsPattern = "<path> [<version>]";
 		this.description = "Adds a local package directory (e.g. a git repository)";
 		this.helpText = ["Adds a local package directory (e.g. a git repository)"];
 	}
 
 	override int execute(Dub dub, string[] free_args, string[] app_args)
 	{
-		enforceUsage(free_args.length == 2, "Expecting two arguments.");
-		dub.addLocalPackage(free_args[0], free_args[1], m_system);
+		enforceUsage(free_args.length == 1 || free_args.length == 2, "Expecting one or two arguments.");
+		string ver = free_args.length == 2 ? free_args[1] : null;
+		dub.addLocalPackage(free_args[0], ver, m_system);
 		return 0;
 	}
 }
diff --git a/source/dub/dub.d b/source/dub/dub.d
index 38f028a..bc6faa9 100644
--- a/source/dub/dub.d
+++ b/source/dub/dub.d
@@ -446,7 +446,7 @@
 	void addLocalPackage(string path, string ver, bool system)
 	{
 		if (m_dryRun) return;
-		m_packageManager.addLocalPackage(makeAbsolute(path), Version(ver), system ? LocalPackageType.system : LocalPackageType.user);
+		m_packageManager.addLocalPackage(makeAbsolute(path), ver, system ? LocalPackageType.system : LocalPackageType.user);
 	}
 
 	void removeLocalPackage(string path, bool system)
diff --git a/source/dub/packagemanager.d b/source/dub/packagemanager.d
index 80ec53a..8ed8d73 100644
--- a/source/dub/packagemanager.d
+++ b/source/dub/packagemanager.d
@@ -373,13 +373,18 @@
 		logInfo("Removed package: '"~pack.name~"'");
 	}
 
-	Package addLocalPackage(in Path path, in Version ver, LocalPackageType type)
+	Package addLocalPackage(in Path path, string verName, LocalPackageType type)
 	{
 		Package[]* packs = &m_repositories[type].localPackages;
 		auto info = jsonFromFile(path ~ PackageJsonFilename, false);
 		string name;
 		if( "name" !in info ) info["name"] = path.head.toString();
-		info["version"] = ver.toString();
+		if (verName !is null)
+			info["version"] = Version(verName).toString();
+
+		// load package
+		auto pack = new Package(info, path);
+		Version ver = pack.ver;
 
 		// don't double-add packages
 		foreach( p; *packs ){
@@ -390,8 +395,6 @@
 			}
 		}
 
-		auto pack = new Package(info, path);
-
 		*packs ~= pack;
 
 		writeLocalPackageList(type);
@@ -481,7 +484,6 @@
 							if( "name" in info && info.name.get!string() != name )
 								logWarn("Local package at %s has different name than %s (%s)", path.toNativeString(), name, info.name.get!string());
 							info.name = name;
-							info["version"] = ver;
 
 							Package pp;
 							if (!refresh_existing_packages)