diff --git a/version/version.go b/version/version.go
index 962d073010..a878fdaefd 100644
--- a/version/version.go
+++ b/version/version.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package version
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
 	"strings"
 )
 
@@ -15,6 +16,9 @@ var (
 	// for tests to work.
 	Version = "1.12.0"
 
+	// https://semver.org/#spec-item-10
+	VersionMetadata = ""
+
 	// A pre-release marker for the version. If this is "" (empty string)
 	// then it means that it is a final release. Otherwise, this is a pre-release
 	// such as "dev" (in development), "beta", "rc1", etc.
@@ -26,13 +30,14 @@ var (
 func GetHumanVersion() string {
 	version := Version
 	release := VersionPrerelease
+	metadata := VersionMetadata
 
 	if release != "" {
-		suffix := "-" + release
-		if !strings.HasSuffix(version, suffix) {
-			// if we tagged a prerelease version then the release is in the version already
-			version += suffix
-		}
+		version += fmt.Sprintf("-%s", release)
+	}
+
+	if metadata != "" {
+		version += fmt.Sprintf("+%s", metadata)
 	}
 
 	// Strip off any single quotes added by the git information.