diff --git a/cmd/membraned/version_test.go b/cmd/membraned/version_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..39a9bc6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/membraned/version_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"flag"
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"os/exec"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+// TestVersionFlag verifies that --version prints the version string and exits 0.
+func TestVersionFlag(t *testing.T) {
+	if os.Getenv("TEST_VERSION_SUBPROCESS") == "1" {
+		// We are the subprocess: run the version logic directly.
+		flag.CommandLine = flag.NewFlagSet(os.Args[0], flag.ExitOnError)
+		showVersion := flag.Bool("version", false, "print version and exit")
+		os.Args = []string{"membraned", "--version"}
+		flag.Parse()
+		if *showVersion {
+			fmt.Printf("membraned %s\n", version)
+			os.Exit(0)
+		}
+		os.Exit(1)
+	}
+
+	cmd := exec.Command(os.Args[0], "-test.run=TestVersionFlag")
+	cmd.Env = append(os.Environ(), "TEST_VERSION_SUBPROCESS=1")
+	var out bytes.Buffer
+	cmd.Stdout = &out
+	cmd.Stderr = &out
+
+	err := cmd.Run()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("--version subprocess exited with error: %v\noutput: %s", err, out.String())
+	}
+
+	output := strings.TrimSpace(out.String())
+	if !strings.HasPrefix(output, "membraned ") {
+		t.Errorf("expected output to start with 'membraned ', got: %q", output)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestVersionDefault checks that the version variable has a sensible fallback.
+func TestVersionDefault(t *testing.T) {
+	if version == "" {
+		t.Error("version variable must not be empty; expected 'dev' or an injected value")
+	}
+}