diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 08b647f..49d7ce2 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ Latest upstream version tracked in this repo: `1.12.15`
 
 - Downloads the current upstream tarball.
 - Derives the version from the tarball root directory.
+- Renders a concrete spec file with that version before invoking `rpmbuild`.
 - Repackages the prebuilt binaries into an RPM.
 - Removes the upstream auto-update manifest so RPM remains the update path.
 - Sets `resources/package-type` to `rpm`.
@@ -39,7 +40,7 @@ Artifacts are written to `dist/`.
 Use COPR's SCM source type with:
 
 - Clone URL: this repository
-- Spec file: `SPECS/element-desktop.spec`
+- Spec template: `SPECS/element-desktop.spec.in`
 - SRPM build method: `make srpm`
 - Enable only `x86_64` binary chroots for this package
 
diff --git a/SPECS/element-desktop.spec b/SPECS/element-desktop.spec.in
similarity index 91%
rename from SPECS/element-desktop.spec
rename to SPECS/element-desktop.spec.in
index 782c4ce..6e58ff2 100644
--- a/SPECS/element-desktop.spec
+++ b/SPECS/element-desktop.spec.in
@@ -1,8 +1,7 @@
-%{!?upstream_version:%global upstream_version 0}
 %global debug_package %{nil}
 
 Name:           element-desktop
-Version:        %{upstream_version}
+Version:        @VERSION@
 Release:        1%{?dist}
 Summary:        Secure messaging and collaboration desktop client
 License:        Apache-2.0 AND BSD-3-Clause AND MIT
@@ -51,5 +50,5 @@ install -Dpm 0644 resources/build/icon.png \
 %{_datadir}/icons/hicolor/512x512/apps/%{name}.png
 
 %changelog
-* Mon Apr 27 2026 Codex <codex@openai.com> - 0-1
+* Mon Apr 27 2026 Codex <codex@openai.com> - @VERSION@-1
 - Initial RPM packaging for upstream Element Desktop tarballs
diff --git a/scripts/build-rpm.sh b/scripts/build-rpm.sh
index 564dc64..7967e2d 100755
--- a/scripts/build-rpm.sh
+++ b/scripts/build-rpm.sh
@@ -23,13 +23,12 @@ mkdir -p \
 "$ROOT_DIR/scripts/fetch-source.sh" "$TOPDIR/SOURCES" >/dev/null
 version="$(cat "$TOPDIR/SOURCES/.upstream-version")"
 
-cp "$ROOT_DIR/SPECS/element-desktop.spec" "$TOPDIR/SPECS/"
 cp "$ROOT_DIR/SOURCES/element-desktop.desktop" "$TOPDIR/SOURCES/"
+"$ROOT_DIR/scripts/render-spec.sh" "$version" "$TOPDIR/SPECS/element-desktop.spec"
 
 rpmbuild -ba \
     --target "$RPM_TARGET" \
     --define "_topdir $TOPDIR" \
-    --define "upstream_version $version" \
     "$TOPDIR/SPECS/element-desktop.spec"
 
 cp "$TOPDIR/SRPMS/"*.src.rpm "$OUTDIR/"
diff --git a/scripts/build-srpm.sh b/scripts/build-srpm.sh
index ffeb360..402b451 100755
--- a/scripts/build-srpm.sh
+++ b/scripts/build-srpm.sh
@@ -23,13 +23,12 @@ mkdir -p \
 "$ROOT_DIR/scripts/fetch-source.sh" "$TOPDIR/SOURCES" >/dev/null
 version="$(cat "$TOPDIR/SOURCES/.upstream-version")"
 
-cp "$ROOT_DIR/SPECS/element-desktop.spec" "$TOPDIR/SPECS/"
 cp "$ROOT_DIR/SOURCES/element-desktop.desktop" "$TOPDIR/SOURCES/"
+"$ROOT_DIR/scripts/render-spec.sh" "$version" "$TOPDIR/SPECS/element-desktop.spec"
 
 rpmbuild -bs \
     --target "$RPM_TARGET" \
     --define "_topdir $TOPDIR" \
-    --define "upstream_version $version" \
     "$TOPDIR/SPECS/element-desktop.spec"
 
 cp "$TOPDIR/SRPMS/"*.src.rpm "$OUTDIR/"
diff --git a/scripts/render-spec.sh b/scripts/render-spec.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..9d066f2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/render-spec.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+set -eu
+
+ROOT_DIR="$(CDPATH= cd -- "$(dirname -- "$0")/.." && pwd)"
+VERSION="${1:-}"
+OUTFILE="${2:-}"
+TEMPLATE="$ROOT_DIR/SPECS/element-desktop.spec.in"
+
+if [ -z "$VERSION" ] || [ -z "$OUTFILE" ]; then
+    echo "usage: $0 VERSION OUTFILE" >&2
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+sed "s/@VERSION@/$VERSION/g" "$TEMPLATE" > "$OUTFILE"