diff --git a/benchpress/cli/commands/run.py b/benchpress/cli/commands/run.py
index 199fc5bb..b82415a8 100644
--- a/benchpress/cli/commands/run.py
+++ b/benchpress/cli/commands/run.py
@@ -27,7 +27,12 @@
     from benchpress import PROJECT, VERSION  # @manual
 except ImportError:
     from benchpress.version import __PROJECT__ as PROJECT, __VERSION__ as VERSION
-from benchpress.lib.util import BENCHPRESS_ROOT, get_artifacts_dir, verify_install
+from benchpress.lib.util import (
+    BENCHPRESS_ROOT,
+    get_artifacts_dir,
+    get_fixed_benchmark_version,
+    verify_install,
+)
 
 try:
     from diagnosis_utils import DiagnosisRecorder  # pyre-ignore[21]
@@ -258,11 +263,12 @@ def get_version_info(self, benchmarks_arg=None):
         except (subprocess.SubprocessError, FileNotFoundError):
             pass
 
-        # Check if current directory is under v1 folder
-        cwd = os.getcwd()
-        if "/v1/" in cwd or cwd.endswith("/v1"):
+        # A `VERSION` marker file colocated with the CLI (e.g. the fbpkg's v1/
+        # folder) pins this install to a fixed benchmark version.
+        fixed_version = get_fixed_benchmark_version()
+        if fixed_version:
             version_info["source"] = "fixed"
-            version_info["version"] = "v1"
+            version_info["version"] = fixed_version
             return version_info
 
         return version_info
diff --git a/benchpress/cli/main.py b/benchpress/cli/main.py
index db67fab8..86445a5b 100644
--- a/benchpress/cli/main.py
+++ b/benchpress/cli/main.py
@@ -25,7 +25,12 @@
 from benchpress.lib.job_listing import create_job_listing
 from benchpress.lib.reporter import JSONFileReporter, ScoreReporter, StdoutReporter
 from benchpress.lib.reporter_factory import ReporterFactory
-from benchpress.lib.util import generate_run_id, generate_timestamp, set_artifacts_dir
+from benchpress.lib.util import (
+    generate_run_id,
+    generate_timestamp,
+    get_fixed_benchmark_version,
+    set_artifacts_dir,
+)
 from benchpress.plugins.hooks import user_script
 
 from .commands.clean import CleanCommand
@@ -233,11 +238,12 @@ def setup_parser():
     )
     parser.add_argument("--verbose", "-v", action="count", default=0)
     version_str = f"{PROJECT} {VERSION}"
-    # When invoked from the v1 folder the harness ships the frozen v1.0
-    # benchmark packages, so flag that explicitly in --version output.
-    cwd = os.getcwd()
-    if "/v1/" in cwd or cwd.endswith("/v1"):
-        version_str += " (v1.0 benchmark packages)"
+    # A `VERSION` marker file colocated with the CLI (e.g. the fbpkg's v1/
+    # folder) pins the harness to a frozen benchmark package set; flag that
+    # explicitly in --version output.
+    fixed_version = get_fixed_benchmark_version()
+    if fixed_version:
+        version_str += f" ({fixed_version}.0 benchmark packages)"
     parser.add_argument("--version", action="version", version=version_str)
 
     return parser
diff --git a/benchpress/lib/util.py b/benchpress/lib/util.py
index 40eea597..270bd721 100644
--- a/benchpress/lib/util.py
+++ b/benchpress/lib/util.py
@@ -78,6 +78,35 @@ def resolve_script_path(script_path: str) -> str:
     return os.path.join(BENCHPRESS_ROOT, script_path)
 
 
+# Name of the marker file that pins an install to a fixed benchmark version.
+VERSION_MARKER_FILE = "VERSION"
+
+
+def get_fixed_benchmark_version() -> typing.Optional[str]:
+    """Return the fixed benchmark-version label pinned by a colocated marker.
+
+    The DCPerf fbpkg lays down a ``v1/`` folder holding the frozen v1.0
+    benchmark packages alongside a ``benchpress`` CLI symlink. A ``VERSION``
+    file sitting next to that CLI (i.e. directly under ``BENCHPRESS_ROOT``)
+    marks the install as shipping a fixed benchmark package set, with the
+    release label (e.g. ``"v1"``) as its contents.
+
+    Anchoring to ``BENCHPRESS_ROOT`` -- the directory of the CLI executable
+    itself -- rather than the current working directory avoids false positives
+    for unrelated paths that merely contain a ``v1`` component (e.g. running the
+    harness from ``/home/user/projects/v1/tmp``).
+
+    Returns the marker's stripped contents, or ``None`` when the marker is
+    absent or empty.
+    """
+    marker_path = os.path.join(BENCHPRESS_ROOT, VERSION_MARKER_FILE)
+    try:
+        with open(marker_path, "r") as f:
+            return f.read().strip() or None
+    except OSError:
+        return None
+
+
 def eprint(*args, **kwargs):
     print(*args, file=sys.stderr, **kwargs)