diff --git a/reckon-gradle/src/compatTest/groovy/org/ajoberstar/reckon/gradle/BaseCompatTest.groovy b/reckon-gradle/src/compatTest/groovy/org/ajoberstar/reckon/gradle/BaseCompatTest.groovy
index 5a1b0e1..977ccc0 100644
--- a/reckon-gradle/src/compatTest/groovy/org/ajoberstar/reckon/gradle/BaseCompatTest.groovy
+++ b/reckon-gradle/src/compatTest/groovy/org/ajoberstar/reckon/gradle/BaseCompatTest.groovy
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ task printVersion {
     result.output.normalize().startsWith('0.1.0-alpha.0.0+')
   }
 
-  def 'if no strategies specified, build fails'() {
+  def 'if no strategies specified, version is unspecified'() {
     given:
     Grgit.clone(dir: projectDir, uri: remote.repository.rootDir)
 
@@ -72,14 +72,43 @@ plugins {
 
 task printVersion {
   doLast  {
-    println project.version
+    println version
   }
 }
 """
     when:
-    def result = buildAndFail('printVersion', '--configuration-cache')
+    def result = build('printVersion', '-q', '--configuration-cache')
+    then:
+    result.output.contains('unspecified')
+  }
+
+  def 'if version evaluated before reckon configured, reckon can still be evaluated after'() {
+    given:
+    Grgit.clone(dir: projectDir, uri: remote.repository.rootDir)
+
+    buildFile << """
+plugins {
+  id 'org.ajoberstar.reckon'
+}
+
+println version
+
+reckon {
+  scopeFromProp()
+  stageFromProp('alpha','beta', 'final')
+}
+
+task printVersion {
+  doLast  {
+    println version
+  }
+}
+"""
+    when:
+    def result = build('printVersion', '--configuration-cache')
     then:
-    result.output.contains('Must provide a scope supplier.')
+    result.output.contains('unspecified')
+    result.output.contains('Reckoned version: 1.1.0-alpha.0')
   }
 
   def 'if reckoned version has build metadata no tag created'() {
diff --git a/reckon-gradle/src/main/java/org/ajoberstar/reckon/gradle/ReckonPlugin.java b/reckon-gradle/src/main/java/org/ajoberstar/reckon/gradle/ReckonPlugin.java
index eef9880..c2ac649 100644
--- a/reckon-gradle/src/main/java/org/ajoberstar/reckon/gradle/ReckonPlugin.java
+++ b/reckon-gradle/src/main/java/org/ajoberstar/reckon/gradle/ReckonPlugin.java
@@ -7,10 +7,16 @@
 import org.ajoberstar.reckon.core.VersionTagWriter;
 import org.gradle.api.Plugin;
 import org.gradle.api.Project;
+import org.gradle.api.logging.Logger;
+import org.gradle.api.logging.Logging;
 import org.gradle.api.provider.Provider;
 import org.gradle.api.tasks.TaskProvider;
 
+import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicBoolean;
+
 public class ReckonPlugin implements Plugin<Project> {
+  private static Logger logger = Logging.getLogger(ReckonPlugin.class);
+
   public static final String TAG_TASK = "reckonTagCreate";
   public static final String PUSH_TASK = "reckonTagPush";
 
@@ -73,14 +79,24 @@ private TaskProvider<ReckonPushTagTask> createPushTask(Project project, ReckonEx
 
   private static class DelayedVersion {
     private final Provider<Version> versionProvider;
+    private final AtomicBoolean warned;
 
     public DelayedVersion(Provider<Version> versionProvider) {
       this.versionProvider = versionProvider;
+      this.warned = new AtomicBoolean(false);
     }
 
     @Override
     public String toString() {
-      return versionProvider.get().toString();
+      try {
+        return versionProvider.get().toString();
+      } catch (Exception e) {
+        if (warned.compareAndSet(false, true)) {
+          logger.warn("Project version evaluated before reckon was configured. Run with --info to see cause.");
+        }
+        logger.info("Project version evaluated before reckon was configured.", e);
+        return "unspecified";
+      }
     }
   }
 }