diff --git a/app/oapv_app_dec.c b/app/oapv_app_dec.c
index 6d6234a..923f7d4 100644
--- a/app/oapv_app_dec.c
+++ b/app/oapv_app_dec.c
@@ -377,8 +377,11 @@ int main(int argc, const char **argv)
     memset(&ofrms, 0, sizeof(oapv_frms_t));
 
     // print logo
+    char version[16];
+    oapv_version(version, sizeof(version));
+
     logv2("  ____                ___   ___ _   __\n");
-    logv2(" / __ \\___  ___ ___  / _ | / _ \\ | / / Decoder (v%s)\n", oapv_version());
+    logv2(" / __ \\___  ___ ___  / _ | / _ \\ | / / Decoder (v%s)\n", version);
     logv2("/ /_/ / _ \\/ -_) _ \\/ __ |/ ___/ |/ / \n");
     logv2("\\____/ .__/\\__/_//_/_/ |_/_/   |___/  \n");
     logv2("    /_/                               \n");
diff --git a/app/oapv_app_enc.c b/app/oapv_app_enc.c
index 12cc459..3db5176 100644
--- a/app/oapv_app_enc.c
+++ b/app/oapv_app_enc.c
@@ -598,8 +598,11 @@ int main(int argc, const char **argv)
     const int      num_frames = MAX_NUM_FRMS; // number of frames in an access unit
 
     // print logo
+    char version[16];
+    oapv_version(version, sizeof(version));
+
     logv2("  ____                ___   ___ _   __\n");
-    logv2(" / __ \\___  ___ ___  / _ | / _ \\ | / / Encoder (v%s)\n", oapv_version());
+    logv2(" / __ \\___  ___ ___  / _ | / _ \\ | / / Encoder (v%s)\n", version);
     logv2("/ /_/ / _ \\/ -_) _ \\/ __ |/ ___/ |/ / \n");
     logv2("\\____/ .__/\\__/_//_/_/ |_/_/   |___/  \n");
     logv2("    /_/                               \n");
diff --git a/inc/oapv.h b/inc/oapv.h
index 7616759..e5b7abf 100644
--- a/inc/oapv.h
+++ b/inc/oapv.h
@@ -680,7 +680,8 @@ OAPV_EXPORT int oapvd_info(void *au, int au_size, oapv_au_info_t *aui);
 /*****************************************************************************
  * openapv version
  *****************************************************************************/
-OAPV_EXPORT const char *oapv_version(void);
+OAPV_EXPORT unsigned int oapv_version(char *ver, int size);
+
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 } /* extern "C" */
diff --git a/src/oapv.c b/src/oapv.c
index 1d282fc..fd44bc3 100644
--- a/src/oapv.c
+++ b/src/oapv.c
@@ -2153,10 +2153,15 @@ int oapvd_info(void *au, int au_size, oapv_au_info_t *aui)
 #endif // ENABLE_DECODER
 ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
-const char *oapv_version(void)
+unsigned int oapv_version(char *ver, int size)
 {
-    static char oapv_version_string[16];
-    snprintf(oapv_version_string, sizeof(oapv_version_string), "%d.%d.%d.%d",
-        OAPV_VER_APISET, OAPV_VER_MAJOR, OAPV_VER_MINOR, OAPV_VER_PATCH);
-    return (char*)oapv_version_string;
+    if(ver != NULL) {
+        int written = snprintf(ver, size, "%d.%d.%d.%d",
+            OAPV_VER_APISET, OAPV_VER_MAJOR, OAPV_VER_MINOR, OAPV_VER_PATCH);
+        // check if snprintf encountered an error or if the output was truncated.
+        if (written < 0 || written >= size) {
+            return OAPV_ERR_INVALID_ARGUMENT;
+        }
+    }
+    return OAPV_VER_NUM;
 }