diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index fcf70d9aa..362c68984 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -75,7 +75,9 @@ idf_get_git_revision()
 idf_check_config_target()
 
 ## get PROJECT_VER
-app_get_revision("${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}")
+if(NOT BOOTLOADER_BUILD)
+    app_get_revision("${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}")
+endif()
 
 # Add some idf-wide definitions
 idf_set_global_compile_options()
diff --git a/components/app_update/CMakeLists.txt b/components/app_update/CMakeLists.txt
index d34462b9a..400e5507a 100644
--- a/components/app_update/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/components/app_update/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -10,10 +10,14 @@ register_component()
 # linker will ignore this structure as it has no other files depending on it.
 target_link_libraries(${COMPONENT_TARGET} "-u esp_app_desc")
 
+# cut PROJECT_VER and PROJECT_NAME to required 32 characters.
+string(SUBSTRING "${PROJECT_VER}" 0 31 PROJECT_VER_CUT)
+string(SUBSTRING "${PROJECT_NAME}" 0 31 PROJECT_NAME_CUT)
+
 set_source_files_properties(
     SOURCE "esp_app_desc.c"
     PROPERTIES COMPILE_DEFINITIONS 
-    PROJECT_VER=\"${PROJECT_VER}\")
+    "PROJECT_VER=\"${PROJECT_VER_CUT}\"; PROJECT_NAME=\"${PROJECT_NAME_CUT}\"")
 
 # Add custom target for generating empty otadata partition for flashing
 if(OTADATA_PARTITION_OFFSET AND OTADATA_PARTITION_SIZE)
diff --git a/components/app_update/Kconfig.projbuild b/components/app_update/Kconfig.projbuild
index 62f8bdec3..6e2c41b16 100644
--- a/components/app_update/Kconfig.projbuild
+++ b/components/app_update/Kconfig.projbuild
@@ -9,4 +9,18 @@ config APP_COMPILE_TIME_DATE
         This can be useful for getting the same binary image files made from the same source, 
         but at different times.
 
+config APP_EXCLUDE_PROJECT_VER_VAR
+    bool "Exclude PROJECT_VER from firmware image"
+    default n
+	help
+        The PROJECT_VER variable from the build system will not affect the firmware image.
+        This value will not be contained in the esp_app_desc structure.
+
+config APP_EXCLUDE_PROJECT_NAME_VAR
+    bool "Exclude PROJECT_NAME from firmware image"
+    default n
+	help
+        The PROJECT_NAME variable from the build system will not affect the firmware image.
+        This value will not be contained in the esp_app_desc structure.
+
 endmenu # "Application manager"
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/components/app_update/component.mk b/components/app_update/component.mk
index 924831e38..4d4097f26 100644
--- a/components/app_update/component.mk
+++ b/components/app_update/component.mk
@@ -11,11 +11,13 @@ ifndef IS_BOOTLOADER_BUILD
 GET_PROJECT_VER ?=
 ifeq ("${PROJECT_VER}", "")
 ifeq ("$(wildcard ${PROJECT_PATH}/version.txt)","")
-GET_PROJECT_VER := $(shell cd ${PROJECT_PATH} && git describe --always --tags --dirty || echo "Not found git repo")
-ifeq ("${GET_PROJECT_VER}", "Not found git repo")
-$(info Project do not have git repo, it needs to get PROJECT_VER from `git describe` command.)
-GET_PROJECT_VER := ""
+
+GET_PROJECT_VER := $(shell cd ${PROJECT_PATH} && git describe --always --tags --dirty 2> /dev/null)
+ifeq ("${GET_PROJECT_VER}", "")
+GET_PROJECT_VER := "1"
+$(info Project is not inside a git repository, will not use 'git describe' to determine PROJECT_VER.)
 endif
+
 else
 # read from version.txt
 GET_PROJECT_VER := $(shell cat ${PROJECT_PATH}/version.txt)
@@ -24,16 +26,21 @@ endif
 # If ``PROJECT_VER`` variable set in project Makefile file, its value will be used.
 # Else, if the ``$PROJECT_PATH/version.txt`` exists, its contents will be used as ``PROJECT_VER``.
 # Else, if the project is located inside a Git repository, the output of git describe will be used.
-# Otherwise, ``PROJECT_VER`` will be empty.
+# Otherwise, ``PROJECT_VER`` will be "1".
 
 ifeq ("${PROJECT_VER}", "")
 PROJECT_VER:= $(GET_PROJECT_VER)
 else
 PROJECT_VER:= $(PROJECT_VER)
 endif
-$(info App "$(PROJECT_NAME)" version: $(PROJECT_VER))
 
-NEW_DEFINES:= $(PROJECT_VER) $(PROJECT_NAME) $(IDF_VER)
+# cut PROJECT_VER and PROJECT_NAME to required 32 characters.
+PROJECT_VER_CUT  := $(shell echo $(PROJECT_VER)  | cut -c 1-31)
+PROJECT_NAME_CUT := $(shell echo $(PROJECT_NAME) | cut -c 1-31)
+
+$(info App "$(PROJECT_NAME_CUT)" version: $(PROJECT_VER_CUT))
+
+NEW_DEFINES:= $(PROJECT_VER_CUT) $(PROJECT_NAME_CUT) $(IDF_VER)
 ifeq ("$(wildcard ${TMP_DEFINES})","")
 OLD_DEFINES:=
 else
@@ -45,5 +52,5 @@ ifneq ("${NEW_DEFINES}", "${OLD_DEFINES}")
 $(shell echo $(NEW_DEFINES) > $(TMP_DEFINES); rm -f esp_app_desc.o;)
 endif
 
-esp_app_desc.o: CPPFLAGS += -D PROJECT_VER=\"$(PROJECT_VER)\" -D PROJECT_NAME=\"$(PROJECT_NAME)\"
+esp_app_desc.o: CPPFLAGS += -D PROJECT_VER=\"$(PROJECT_VER_CUT)\" -D PROJECT_NAME=\"$(PROJECT_NAME_CUT)\"
 endif
diff --git a/components/app_update/esp_app_desc.c b/components/app_update/esp_app_desc.c
index b120d2c34..20c487c1c 100644
--- a/components/app_update/esp_app_desc.c
+++ b/components/app_update/esp_app_desc.c
@@ -19,8 +19,17 @@
 // Application version info
 const __attribute__((section(".rodata_desc"))) esp_app_desc_t esp_app_desc = {
     .magic_word = ESP_APP_DESC_MAGIC_WORD,
+#ifdef CONFIG_APP_EXCLUDE_PROJECT_VER_VAR
+    .version = "",
+#else
     .version = PROJECT_VER,
+#endif
+
+#ifdef CONFIG_APP_EXCLUDE_PROJECT_NAME_VAR
+    .project_name = "",
+#else
     .project_name = PROJECT_NAME,
+#endif
     .idf_ver = IDF_VER,
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_APP_SECURE_VERSION
@@ -39,9 +48,13 @@ const __attribute__((section(".rodata_desc"))) esp_app_desc_t esp_app_desc = {
 };
 
 
+#ifndef CONFIG_APP_EXCLUDE_PROJECT_VER_VAR
 _Static_assert(sizeof(PROJECT_VER) <= sizeof(esp_app_desc.version), "PROJECT_VER is longer than version field in structure");
+#endif
 _Static_assert(sizeof(IDF_VER) <= sizeof(esp_app_desc.idf_ver), "IDF_VER is longer than idf_ver field in structure");
+#ifndef CONFIG_APP_EXCLUDE_PROJECT_NAME_VAR
 _Static_assert(sizeof(PROJECT_NAME) <= sizeof(esp_app_desc.project_name), "PROJECT_NAME is longer than project_name field in structure");
+#endif
 
 const esp_app_desc_t *esp_ota_get_app_description(void)
 {
diff --git a/components/esp32/cpu_start.c b/components/esp32/cpu_start.c
index 739e4188d..7dacf38af 100644
--- a/components/esp32/cpu_start.c
+++ b/components/esp32/cpu_start.c
@@ -179,8 +179,12 @@ void IRAM_ATTR call_start_cpu0()
     if (LOG_LOCAL_LEVEL >= ESP_LOG_INFO) {
         const esp_app_desc_t *app_desc = esp_ota_get_app_description();
         ESP_EARLY_LOGI(TAG, "Application information:");
+#ifndef CONFIG_APP_EXCLUDE_PROJECT_NAME_VAR
         ESP_EARLY_LOGI(TAG, "Project name:     %s", app_desc->project_name);
+#endif
+#ifndef CONFIG_APP_EXCLUDE_PROJECT_VER_VAR
         ESP_EARLY_LOGI(TAG, "App version:      %s", app_desc->version);
+#endif
 #ifdef CONFIG_APP_SECURE_VERSION
         ESP_EARLY_LOGI(TAG, "Secure version:   %x", app_desc->secure_version);
 #endif
diff --git a/docs/en/api-guides/build-system-cmake.rst b/docs/en/api-guides/build-system-cmake.rst
index 3d16539e9..ac27d8e3d 100644
--- a/docs/en/api-guides/build-system-cmake.rst
+++ b/docs/en/api-guides/build-system-cmake.rst
@@ -347,7 +347,7 @@ The following variables are set at the project level, but available for use in c
 * If ``PROJECT_VER`` variable set in project CMakeLists.txt file, its value will be used.
 * Else, if the ``$PROJECT_PATH/version.txt`` exists, its contents will be used as ``PROJECT_VER``.
 * Else, if the project is located inside a Git repository, the output of git describe will be used.
-* Otherwise, ``PROJECT_VER`` will be empty.
+* Otherwise, ``PROJECT_VER`` will be "1".
 
 If you modify any of these variables inside ``CMakeLists.txt`` then this will not prevent other components from building but it may make your component hard to build and/or debug.
 
diff --git a/docs/en/api-guides/build-system.rst b/docs/en/api-guides/build-system.rst
index f52143cc8..a489d5e45 100644
--- a/docs/en/api-guides/build-system.rst
+++ b/docs/en/api-guides/build-system.rst
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ The following variables are set at the project level, but exported for use in th
 * If ``PROJECT_VER`` variable set in project Makefile file, its value will be used.
 * Else, if the ``$PROJECT_PATH/version.txt`` exists, its contents will be used as ``PROJECT_VER``.
 * Else, if the project is located inside a Git repository, the output of git describe will be used.
-* Otherwise, ``PROJECT_VER`` will be empty.
+* Otherwise, ``PROJECT_VER`` will be "1".
 
 If you modify any of these variables inside ``component.mk`` then this will not prevent other components from building but it may make your component hard to build and/or debug.
 
diff --git a/tools/ci/test_build_system.sh b/tools/ci/test_build_system.sh
index 56daa383c..58b721154 100755
--- a/tools/ci/test_build_system.sh
+++ b/tools/ci/test_build_system.sh
@@ -247,7 +247,7 @@ function run_tests()
     assert_rebuilt ${APP_BINS}
     print_status "Change app version"
     take_build_snapshot
-	echo "project-version-2.0" > ${TESTDIR}/template/version.txt
+	echo "project-version-2.0(012345678901234567890123456789)" > ${TESTDIR}/template/version.txt
 	make
     assert_rebuilt ${APP_BINS}
     assert_not_rebuilt ${BOOTLOADER_BINS} esp32/libesp32.a
diff --git a/tools/ci/test_build_system_cmake.sh b/tools/ci/test_build_system_cmake.sh
index acb8f269c..b19f1f0a3 100755
--- a/tools/ci/test_build_system_cmake.sh
+++ b/tools/ci/test_build_system_cmake.sh
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ function run_tests()
     idf.py build || failure "Failed to build with app version"
     print_status "Change app version"
     take_build_snapshot
-	echo "project-version-2.0" > ${TESTDIR}/template/version.txt
+	echo "project-version-2.0(012345678901234567890123456789)" > ${TESTDIR}/template/version.txt
 	idf.py build || failure "Failed to rebuild with changed app version"
     assert_rebuilt ${APP_BINS}
     assert_not_rebuilt ${BOOTLOADER_BINS} esp-idf/esp32/libesp32.a
diff --git a/tools/cmake/idf_functions.cmake b/tools/cmake/idf_functions.cmake
index 0a3af7e03..7b389d342 100644
--- a/tools/cmake/idf_functions.cmake
+++ b/tools/cmake/idf_functions.cmake
@@ -87,7 +87,6 @@ function(idf_set_global_compile_options)
     list(APPEND compile_options "${CMAKE_C_FLAGS}")
     list(APPEND c_compile_options "${CMAKE_C_FLAGS}")
     list(APPEND cxx_compile_options "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS}")
-    add_definitions(-DPROJECT_NAME=\"${PROJECT_NAME}\")
 
     if(CONFIG_OPTIMIZATION_LEVEL_RELEASE)
         list(APPEND compile_options "-Os")
@@ -240,19 +239,24 @@ endfunction()
 # If PROJECT_VER variable set in project CMakeLists.txt file, its value will be used.
 # Else, if the _project_path/version.txt exists, its contents will be used as PROJECT_VER.
 # Else, if the project is located inside a Git repository, the output of git describe will be used.
-# Otherwise, PROJECT_VER will be empty.
+# Otherwise, PROJECT_VER will be "1".
 function(app_get_revision _project_path)
-    git_describe(PROJECT_VER_GIT "${_project_path}")
     if(NOT DEFINED PROJECT_VER)
         if(EXISTS "${_project_path}/version.txt")
             file(STRINGS "${_project_path}/version.txt" PROJECT_VER)
             set_property(DIRECTORY APPEND PROPERTY CMAKE_CONFIGURE_DEPENDS "${_project_path}/version.txt")
         else()
-            set(PROJECT_VER ${PROJECT_VER_GIT})
+            git_describe(PROJECT_VER_GIT "${_project_path}")
+            if(PROJECT_VER_GIT)
+                set(PROJECT_VER ${PROJECT_VER_GIT})
+            else()
+                message(STATUS "Project is not inside a git repository, \
+                        will not use 'git describe' to determine PROJECT_VER.")
+                set(PROJECT_VER "1")
+            endif()
         endif()
     endif()
     message(STATUS "Project version: ${PROJECT_VER}")
-    git_submodule_check("${_project_path}")
     set(PROJECT_VER ${PROJECT_VER} PARENT_SCOPE)
 endfunction()