Index: src/main/java/org/apache/maven/cli/MavenCli.java
===================================================================
--- src/main/java/org/apache/maven/cli/MavenCli.java	(revision 760039)
+++ src/main/java/org/apache/maven/cli/MavenCli.java	(working copy)
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@
 import org.apache.maven.embedder.MavenEmbedderFileLogger;
 import org.apache.maven.embedder.MavenEmbedderLogger;
 import org.apache.maven.errors.DefaultCoreErrorReporter;
+import org.apache.maven.execution.ApplicationInformation;
+import org.apache.maven.execution.DefaultRuntimeInformation;
 import org.apache.maven.execution.MavenExecutionRequest;
 import org.apache.maven.execution.MavenExecutionResult;
 import org.codehaus.plexus.classworlds.ClassWorld;
@@ -123,6 +125,11 @@
         {
             System.setProperty( "maven.home", new File( mavenHome ).getAbsolutePath() );
         }
+        
+        ApplicationInformation ai =
+            DefaultRuntimeInformation.getVersion( MavenCli.class.getClassLoader(), "org.apache.maven", "maven-core" );
+        
+        System.setProperty( "maven.version", ai.getVersion().toString() );
 
         MavenExecutionRequest request = CLIRequestUtils.buildRequest( commandLine, debug, quiet, showErrors );