diff --git a/docs/commands.md b/docs/commands.md
index 11436e46..05f47bd4 100644
--- a/docs/commands.md
+++ b/docs/commands.md
@@ -530,7 +530,8 @@ git drs bucket add-project production \
 
 ### `git drs version`
 
-Display version information.
+Display version information. Works from any directory, without a Git repository
+or git-drs initialization, and does not create a repository log file.
 
 ```bash
 git drs version
diff --git a/docs/installation.md b/docs/installation.md
index 7941fa7d..173c90df 100644
--- a/docs/installation.md
+++ b/docs/installation.md
@@ -62,6 +62,8 @@ export PATH="$PATH:$HOME/.local/bin"
 
 ## Verify The Install
 
+Run either command from any directory; no Git repository or git-drs initialization is required.
+
 ```bash
 git-drs version
 git drs version
diff --git a/git-drs.go b/git-drs.go
index f2dc2c62..d0dd1e24 100644
--- a/git-drs.go
+++ b/git-drs.go
@@ -11,10 +11,12 @@ import (
 
 func main() {
 
-	_, err := drslog.NewLogger("", true)
-	if err != nil {
-		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "Failed to open log file: %v", err)
-		os.Exit(1)
+	// Version only reads build metadata and needs no repository log.
+	if len(os.Args) < 2 || os.Args[1] != "version" {
+		if _, err := drslog.NewLogger("", true); err != nil {
+			fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "Failed to open log file: %v", err)
+			os.Exit(1)
+		}
 	}
 
 	// Keep credential helper out of the user-facing command tree/help output.
diff --git a/git-drs_test.go b/git-drs_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..15005383
--- /dev/null
+++ b/git-drs_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"os"
+	"os/exec"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+)
+
+func TestVersionOutsideRepository(t *testing.T) {
+	binary := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "git-drs")
+	build := exec.Command("go", "build", "-o", binary, ".")
+	output, err := build.CombinedOutput()
+	require.NoError(t, err, "%s", output)
+
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	command := exec.Command(binary, "version")
+	command.Dir = dir
+	// Prevent an inherited Git environment from pointing at a repository.
+	command.Env = append(os.Environ(), "GIT_DIR=", "GIT_WORK_TREE=", "GIT_CEILING_DIRECTORIES="+filepath.Dir(dir))
+	var stderr bytes.Buffer
+	command.Stderr = &stderr
+	output, err = command.Output()
+	require.NoError(t, err, "%s", stderr.String())
+	require.Empty(t, stderr.String())
+	require.Regexp(t, `^git-drs \S+\n$`, string(output))
+	entries, err := os.ReadDir(dir)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.Empty(t, entries, "version should not create repository or log files")
+}