diff --git a/src/backend/InvenTree/InvenTree/config.py b/src/backend/InvenTree/InvenTree/config.py
index f51cf924d3..600e9e7864 100644
--- a/src/backend/InvenTree/InvenTree/config.py
+++ b/src/backend/InvenTree/InvenTree/config.py
@@ -76,8 +76,9 @@ def get_root_dir() -> Path:
 
 def inventreeInstaller() -> Optional[str]:
     """Returns the installer for the running codebase - if set or detectable."""
-    # First look in the environment variables, e.g. if running in docker
+    load_version_file()
 
+    # First look in the environment variables, e.g. if running in docker
     installer = os.environ.get('INVENTREE_PKG_INSTALLER', '')
 
     if installer:
@@ -121,6 +122,11 @@ def get_testfolder_dir() -> Path:
     return get_base_dir().joinpath('_testfolder').resolve()
 
 
+def get_version_file() -> Path:
+    """Returns the path of the InvenTree VERSION file. This does not ensure that the file exists."""
+    return get_root_dir().joinpath('VERSION').resolve()
+
+
 def ensure_dir(path: Path, storage=None) -> None:
     """Ensure that a directory exists.
 
@@ -592,3 +598,28 @@ def check_config_dir(
             pass
 
     return
+
+
+VERSION_LOADED = False
+"""Flag to indicate if the VERSION file has been loaded in this process."""
+
+
+def load_version_file():
+    """Load the VERSION file if it exists and place the contents into the general execution environment.
+
+    Returns:
+        True if the VERSION file was loaded (now or previously), False otherwise.
+    """
+    global VERSION_LOADED
+    if VERSION_LOADED:
+        return True
+
+    # Load the VERSION file if it exists
+    from dotenv import load_dotenv
+
+    version_file = get_version_file()
+    if version_file.exists():
+        load_dotenv(version_file)
+        VERSION_LOADED = True
+        return True
+    return False
diff --git a/src/backend/InvenTree/InvenTree/settings.py b/src/backend/InvenTree/InvenTree/settings.py
index 965fbc05de..a8ce065b04 100644
--- a/src/backend/InvenTree/InvenTree/settings.py
+++ b/src/backend/InvenTree/InvenTree/settings.py
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ from django.http import Http404, HttpResponseGone
 
 import structlog
 from corsheaders.defaults import default_headers as default_cors_headers
-from dotenv import load_dotenv
 
 from InvenTree.cache import get_cache_config, is_global_cache_enabled
 from InvenTree.config import (
@@ -80,11 +79,7 @@ BASE_DIR = config.get_base_dir()
 
 # Load configuration data
 CONFIG = config.load_config_data(set_cache=True)
-
-# Load VERSION data if it exists
-version_file = config.get_root_dir().joinpath('VERSION')
-if version_file.exists():
-    load_dotenv(version_file)
+config.load_version_file()
 
 # Default action is to run the system in Debug mode
 # SECURITY WARNING: don't run with debug turned on in production!
diff --git a/src/backend/InvenTree/InvenTree/version.py b/src/backend/InvenTree/InvenTree/version.py
index ca699f0190..30aa8bd07d 100644
--- a/src/backend/InvenTree/InvenTree/version.py
+++ b/src/backend/InvenTree/InvenTree/version.py
@@ -269,7 +269,7 @@ def inventreeBranch():
     branch = os.environ.get('INVENTREE_PKG_BRANCH', '')
 
     if branch:
-        return branch
+        return ' '.join(branch.splitlines())
 
     if main_branch is None:
         return None