diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index ddb610d..3f50942 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -7,5 +7,9 @@ clean:
 	rm -rf dist
 	rm -rf build
 
-wheel:
+wheel: clean
+	pip -q install build
 	python -m build
+
+install: wheel
+	pip install dist/*.whl
diff --git a/src/__init__.py b/src/__init__.py
index e7aa8e9..ca09111 100644
--- a/src/__init__.py
+++ b/src/__init__.py
@@ -1,2 +1,9 @@
-from . import _version  # NOQA
+from importlib.metadata import version, PackageNotFoundError
+
+try:
+    __version__ = version("osparc_filecomms")
+except PackageNotFoundError:
+    # package is not installed
+    pass
+
 from . import handshakers  # NOQA
diff --git a/src/handshakers.py b/src/handshakers.py
index f7a016a..abe43e3 100644
--- a/src/handshakers.py
+++ b/src/handshakers.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ def __init__(
         self.verbose_level = verbose_level
         logger.setLevel(self.verbose_level)
 
-        self.self_uuid = self_uuid
+        self.self_uuid = str(self_uuid)
         self.other_uuid = None
 
         self.is_initiator = is_initiator