diff --git a/karma.config.js b/karma.config.js
index ead36993..9db925dc 100644
--- a/karma.config.js
+++ b/karma.config.js
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 /* eslint-env node */
 
 const path = require('path');
+
+const pkg = require('./package.json');
+
 const {
   DefinePlugin,
   NormalModuleReplacementPlugin
@@ -93,6 +96,9 @@ module.exports = function(karma) {
       plugins: [
         new DefinePlugin({
 
+          // @nikku needs to be defined
+          'process.env.PKG_VERSION': JSON.stringify(pkg.version),
+
           // @barmac: process.env has to be defined to make @testing-library/preact work
           'process.env': {}
         }),
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index c91a9140..4fcf02c1 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@
         "@rollup/plugin-commonjs": "^28.0.1",
         "@rollup/plugin-json": "^6.1.0",
         "@rollup/plugin-node-resolve": "^15.3.0",
+        "@rollup/plugin-replace": "^6.0.1",
         "@testing-library/preact": "^2.0.1",
         "@testing-library/preact-hooks": "^1.1.0",
         "assert": "^2.1.0",
@@ -1357,6 +1358,28 @@
         }
       }
     },
+    "node_modules/@rollup/plugin-replace": {
+      "version": "6.0.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@rollup/plugin-replace/-/plugin-replace-6.0.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-2sPh9b73dj5IxuMmDAsQWVFT7mR+yoHweBaXG2W/R8vQ+IWZlnaI7BR7J6EguVQUp1hd8Z7XuozpDjEKQAAC2Q==",
+      "dev": true,
+      "license": "MIT",
+      "dependencies": {
+        "@rollup/pluginutils": "^5.0.1",
+        "magic-string": "^0.30.3"
+      },
+      "engines": {
+        "node": ">=14.0.0"
+      },
+      "peerDependencies": {
+        "rollup": "^1.20.0||^2.0.0||^3.0.0||^4.0.0"
+      },
+      "peerDependenciesMeta": {
+        "rollup": {
+          "optional": true
+        }
+      }
+    },
     "node_modules/@rollup/pluginutils": {
       "version": "5.1.0",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@rollup/pluginutils/-/pluginutils-5.1.0.tgz",
@@ -11234,6 +11257,16 @@
         "resolve": "^1.22.1"
       }
     },
+    "@rollup/plugin-replace": {
+      "version": "6.0.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@rollup/plugin-replace/-/plugin-replace-6.0.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-2sPh9b73dj5IxuMmDAsQWVFT7mR+yoHweBaXG2W/R8vQ+IWZlnaI7BR7J6EguVQUp1hd8Z7XuozpDjEKQAAC2Q==",
+      "dev": true,
+      "requires": {
+        "@rollup/pluginutils": "^5.0.1",
+        "magic-string": "^0.30.3"
+      }
+    },
     "@rollup/pluginutils": {
       "version": "5.1.0",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@rollup/pluginutils/-/pluginutils-5.1.0.tgz",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index d72cf44e..01b329bf 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@
     "@rollup/plugin-commonjs": "^28.0.1",
     "@rollup/plugin-json": "^6.1.0",
     "@rollup/plugin-node-resolve": "^15.3.0",
+    "@rollup/plugin-replace": "^6.0.1",
     "@testing-library/preact": "^2.0.1",
     "@testing-library/preact-hooks": "^1.1.0",
     "assert": "^2.1.0",
diff --git a/rollup.config.mjs b/rollup.config.mjs
index df420c17..74f091e7 100644
--- a/rollup.config.mjs
+++ b/rollup.config.mjs
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import commonjs from '@rollup/plugin-commonjs';
 import copy from 'rollup-plugin-copy';
 import json from '@rollup/plugin-json';
 import resolve from '@rollup/plugin-node-resolve';
+import replace from '@rollup/plugin-replace';
 
 import {
   readFileSync
@@ -81,6 +82,12 @@ function pgl(plugins = []) {
 function corePlugins(plugins = []) {
   return [
     ...plugins,
+    replace({
+      preventAssignment: true,
+      values: {
+        'process.env.PKG_VERSION': JSON.stringify(pkg.version)
+      }
+    }),
     json(),
     resolve({
       mainFields: [
diff --git a/src/element-templates/ElementTemplates.js b/src/element-templates/ElementTemplates.js
index 3a32037b..8e92e474 100644
--- a/src/element-templates/ElementTemplates.js
+++ b/src/element-templates/ElementTemplates.js
@@ -24,7 +24,8 @@ import {
   coerce
 } from 'semver';
 
-import pkg from '../../package.json';
+// eslint-disable-next-line no-undef
+const packageVersion = process.env.PKG_VERSION;
 
 
 /**
@@ -177,7 +178,7 @@ export default class ElementTemplates {
     // package version; templates may use that engine to declare
     // compatibility with this library
     engines = {
-      elementTemplates: pkg.version,
+      elementTemplates: packageVersion,
       ...engines
     };
 
diff --git a/test/spec/cloud-element-templates/ElementTemplates.spec.js b/test/spec/cloud-element-templates/ElementTemplates.spec.js
index 26a3c78a..69bcb0e6 100644
--- a/test/spec/cloud-element-templates/ElementTemplates.spec.js
+++ b/test/spec/cloud-element-templates/ElementTemplates.spec.js
@@ -34,7 +34,8 @@ import { findExtensions, findExtension } from 'src/cloud-element-templates/Helpe
 import { getLabel } from 'bpmn-js/lib/features/label-editing/LabelUtil';
 import { findMessage } from 'src/cloud-element-templates/Helper';
 
-import pkg from '../../../package.json';
+// eslint-disable-next-line no-undef
+const packageVersion = process.env.PKG_VERSION;
 
 
 describe('provider/cloud-element-templates - ElementTemplates', function() {
@@ -790,7 +791,9 @@ describe('provider/cloud-element-templates - ElementTemplates', function() {
     it('should provide default <elementTemplates> engine', inject(function(elementTemplates) {
 
       // then
-      expect(elementTemplates.getEngines()).to.have.property('elementTemplates', pkg.version);
+      expect(
+        elementTemplates.getEngines()
+      ).to.have.property('elementTemplates', packageVersion);
     }));
 
 
@@ -804,7 +807,7 @@ describe('provider/cloud-element-templates - ElementTemplates', function() {
 
       // then
       expect(elementTemplates.getEngines()).to.eql({
-        'elementTemplates': pkg.version,
+        'elementTemplates': packageVersion,
         'camunda': '8.0.0',
         'other': '100.5.0'
       });