diff --git a/{{ cookiecutter.package_name }}/docs/conf.py b/{{ cookiecutter.package_name }}/docs/conf.py
index e595c98..fb8fa45 100644
--- a/{{ cookiecutter.package_name }}/docs/conf.py	
+++ b/{{ cookiecutter.package_name }}/docs/conf.py	
@@ -6,12 +6,22 @@
 
 import datetime
 
+from packaging.version import Version
+
 # -- Project information -----------------------------------------------------
 
 # The full version, including alpha/beta/rc tags
 from {{ cookiecutter.module_name }} import __version__
 
-release = __version__
+_version = Version(__version__)
+version = release = str(_version)
+# Avoid "post" appearing in version string in rendered docs
+if _version.is_postrelease:
+    version = release = _version.base_version
+# Avoid long githashes in rendered Sphinx docs
+elif _version.is_devrelease:
+    version = release = f'{_version.base_version}.dev{_version.dev}'
+is_development = _version.is_devrelease
 
 project = "{{ cookiecutter.package_name }}"
 author = "{{ cookiecutter.author_name }}"
diff --git a/{{ cookiecutter.package_name }}/pyproject.toml b/{{ cookiecutter.package_name }}/pyproject.toml
index 4635dd1..5054519 100644
--- a/{{ cookiecutter.package_name }}/pyproject.toml	
+++ b/{{ cookiecutter.package_name }}/pyproject.toml	
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ tests = [
 docs = [
   "sphinx",
   "sphinx-automodapi",
+  "packaging",
 ]
 
 {%- if cookiecutter.project_url %}