diff --git a/build_keyboard.mk b/build_keyboard.mk
index e87dcb8f2..2b725ea68 100644
--- a/build_keyboard.mk
+++ b/build_keyboard.mk
@@ -368,6 +368,7 @@ endif
 
 build: elf cpfirmware
 check-size: build
+check-md5: build
 objs-size: build
 
 include show_options.mk
diff --git a/tmk_core/common/command.c b/tmk_core/common/command.c
index feeb2202e..59aa4e4d3 100644
--- a/tmk_core/common/command.c
+++ b/tmk_core/common/command.c
@@ -144,10 +144,8 @@ static void print_version(void) {
     print("VID: " STR(VENDOR_ID) "(" STR(MANUFACTURER) ") "
                                                        "PID: " STR(PRODUCT_ID) "(" STR(PRODUCT) ") "
                                                                                                 "VER: " STR(DEVICE_VER) "\n");
-#ifdef SKIP_VERSION
     print("BUILD:  (" __DATE__ ")\n");
-#else
-    print("BUILD: " STR(QMK_VERSION) " (" __TIME__ " " __DATE__ ")\n");
+#ifndef SKIP_VERSION
 #    ifdef PROTOCOL_CHIBIOS
     print("CHIBIOS: " STR(CHIBIOS_VERSION) ", CONTRIB: " STR(CHIBIOS_CONTRIB_VERSION) "\n");
 #    endif
diff --git a/tmk_core/rules.mk b/tmk_core/rules.mk
index a7053d185..a77e55dd1 100644
--- a/tmk_core/rules.mk
+++ b/tmk_core/rules.mk
@@ -79,7 +79,12 @@ CSTANDARD = -std=gnu99
 #  -Wall...:     warning level
 #  -Wa,...:      tell GCC to pass this to the assembler.
 #    -adhlns...: create assembler listing
-ifndef SKIP_DEBUG_INFO
+DEBUG_ENABLE ?= yes
+ifeq ($(strip $(SKIP_DEBUG_INFO)),yes)
+  DEBUG_ENABLE=no
+endif
+
+ifeq ($(strip $(DEBUG_ENABLE)),yes)
   CFLAGS += -g$(DEBUG)
 endif
 CFLAGS += $(CDEFS)
@@ -110,7 +115,7 @@ CFLAGS += $(CSTANDARD)
 #  -Wall...:     warning level
 #  -Wa,...:      tell GCC to pass this to the assembler.
 #    -adhlns...: create assembler listing
-ifndef SKIP_DEBUG_INFO
+ifeq ($(strip $(DEBUG_ENABLE)),yes)
   CXXFLAGS += -g$(DEBUG)
 endif
 CXXFLAGS += $(CXXDEFS)
@@ -140,7 +145,7 @@ CXXFLAGS += -Wa,-adhlns=$(@:%.o=%.lst)
 #  -listing-cont-lines: Sets the maximum number of continuation lines of hex
 #       dump that will be displayed for a given single line of source input.
 ASFLAGS += $(ADEFS)
-ifndef SKIP_DEBUG_INFO
+ifeq ($(strip $(DEBUG_ENABLE)),yes)
   ASFLAGS += -Wa,-adhlns=$(@:%.o=%.lst),-gstabs,--listing-cont-lines=100
 else
   ASFLAGS += -Wa,-adhlns=$(@:%.o=%.lst),--listing-cont-lines=100
@@ -202,7 +207,10 @@ REMOVEDIR = rmdir
 COPY = cp
 WINSHELL = cmd
 SECHO = $(SILENT) || echo
-
+MD5SUM ?= md5sum
+ifneq ($(filter Darwin FreeBSD,$(shell uname -s)),)
+  MD5SUM = md5
+endif
 
 # Compiler flags to generate dependency files.
 #GENDEPFLAGS = -MMD -MP -MF .dep/$(@F).d
@@ -431,6 +439,9 @@ check-size:
 	$(SILENT) || echo "(Firmware size check does not yet support $(MCU) microprocessors; skipping.)"
 endif
 
+check-md5:
+	$(MD5SUM) $(BUILD_DIR)/$(TARGET).$(FIRMWARE_FORMAT)
+
 # Create build directory
 $(shell mkdir -p $(BUILD_DIR) 2>/dev/null)