diff --git a/config.nix b/config.nix
index 50706a5c..eb677808 100644
--- a/config.nix
+++ b/config.nix
@@ -427,9 +427,15 @@ let
     packageVersion =
       if ! isNull attrs.version
       then attrs.version
-      else toplevelCargotoml.package.version
-        or toplevelCargotoml."workspace.package".version
-        or "unknown";
+      else
+        let
+          toppackver = toplevelCargotoml.package.version or null;
+        in
+        if lib.isString toppackver || lib.isInt toppackver then
+          toppackver
+        else if (toppackver.workspace or false) then
+          toplevelCargotoml.workspace.package.version or "unknown"
+        else "unknown";
   };
 in
 buildPlanConfig // { inherit buildConfig; }
diff --git a/default.nix b/default.nix
index 23502678..0eba148c 100644
--- a/default.nix
+++ b/default.nix
@@ -35,10 +35,11 @@ let
         else if builtins.pathExists (toString config.root + "/.cargo/config")
         then (config.root + "/.cargo/config")
         else null;
+      version_ = config.packageVersion;
+      version = if version_ == "unknown" then builtins.trace config version_ else version_;
       build = args: import ./build.nix (
         {
-          inherit gitDependencies;
-          version = config.packageVersion;
+          inherit gitDependencies version;
         } // config.buildConfig // defaultBuildAttrs // args
       );
 
diff --git a/test/fast/default.nix b/test/fast/default.nix
index 85c769cd..f79dde55 100644
--- a/test/fast/default.nix
+++ b/test/fast/default.nix
@@ -24,5 +24,7 @@
   workspace = pkgs.callPackage ./workspace { inherit naersk; };
   workspace-build-rs = pkgs.callPackage ./workspace-build-rs { inherit naersk; };
   workspace-deps = pkgs.callPackage ./workspace-deps { inherit naersk; };
+  workspace-meta = pkgs.callPackage ./workspace-meta { inherit naersk; };
+  workspace-meta-single = pkgs.callPackage ./workspace-meta-single { inherit naersk; };
   workspace-patched = pkgs.callPackage ./workspace-patched { inherit naersk; };
 }
diff --git a/test/fast/workspace-meta-single/README.md b/test/fast/workspace-meta-single/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ab98ce1f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fast/workspace-meta-single/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+# workspace-meta
+
+Tests that metadata can be read from the workspace via the workspace's `[package]`:
+
+```toml
+[workspace.package]
+version = "0.0.1"
+...
+
+[package]
+version = { workspace = true }
+...
+```
diff --git a/test/fast/workspace-meta-single/default.nix b/test/fast/workspace-meta-single/default.nix
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6b4a0002
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fast/workspace-meta-single/default.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+{ naersk, ... }:
+
+naersk.buildPackage {
+    src = ./fixtures;
+    doCheck = true;
+}
diff --git a/test/fast/workspace-meta-single/fixtures/Cargo.lock b/test/fast/workspace-meta-single/fixtures/Cargo.lock
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8e06c669
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fast/workspace-meta-single/fixtures/Cargo.lock
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+# This file is automatically @generated by Cargo.
+# It is not intended for manual editing.
+version = 3
+
+[[package]]
+name = "foo"
+version = "0.0.1"
diff --git a/test/fast/workspace-meta-single/fixtures/Cargo.toml b/test/fast/workspace-meta-single/fixtures/Cargo.toml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6bbe06a3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fast/workspace-meta-single/fixtures/Cargo.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+[workspace]
+
+resolver = "2"
+
+[workspace.package]
+version = "0.0.1"
+edition = "2021"
+
+
+
+[package]
+name = "foo"
+version = { workspace = true }
+edition = { workspace = true }
diff --git a/test/fast/workspace-meta-single/fixtures/src/main.rs b/test/fast/workspace-meta-single/fixtures/src/main.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e7a11a96
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fast/workspace-meta-single/fixtures/src/main.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+fn main() {
+    println!("Hello, world!");
+}
diff --git a/test/fast/workspace-meta/README.md b/test/fast/workspace-meta/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d628583f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fast/workspace-meta/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+# workspace-meta
+
+Tests that metadata can be read from the workspace:
+
+```toml
+[package]
+name = "foo"
+version = { workspace = true }
+edition = { workspace = true }
+```
diff --git a/test/fast/workspace-meta/default.nix b/test/fast/workspace-meta/default.nix
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6b4a0002
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fast/workspace-meta/default.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+{ naersk, ... }:
+
+naersk.buildPackage {
+    src = ./fixtures;
+    doCheck = true;
+}
diff --git a/test/fast/workspace-meta/fixtures/Cargo.lock b/test/fast/workspace-meta/fixtures/Cargo.lock
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8e06c669
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fast/workspace-meta/fixtures/Cargo.lock
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+# This file is automatically @generated by Cargo.
+# It is not intended for manual editing.
+version = 3
+
+[[package]]
+name = "foo"
+version = "0.0.1"
diff --git a/test/fast/workspace-meta/fixtures/Cargo.toml b/test/fast/workspace-meta/fixtures/Cargo.toml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8b9930ea
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fast/workspace-meta/fixtures/Cargo.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+[workspace]
+
+resolver = "2"
+
+members = [
+    "foo",
+]
+
+[workspace.package]
+version = "0.0.1"
+edition = "2021"
+
+
diff --git a/test/fast/workspace-meta/fixtures/foo/Cargo.toml b/test/fast/workspace-meta/fixtures/foo/Cargo.toml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..733dd207
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fast/workspace-meta/fixtures/foo/Cargo.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+[package]
+name = "foo"
+version = { workspace = true }
+edition = { workspace = true }
+
+[dependencies]
diff --git a/test/fast/workspace-meta/fixtures/foo/src/main.rs b/test/fast/workspace-meta/fixtures/foo/src/main.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e7a11a96
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fast/workspace-meta/fixtures/foo/src/main.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+fn main() {
+    println!("Hello, world!");
+}