diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 344facf..b856ee0 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -150,6 +150,17 @@ vcs = "git"
 style = "semver"
 ```
 
+## Environment variables
+In addition to the project-specific configuration above,
+you can apply some global overrides via environment variables.
+
+* `UV_DYNAMIC_VERSIONING_BYPASS`:
+  Use this to bypass the VCS mechanisms and use a static version instead.
+  The value of the environment variable will be used as the version
+  for the active project and any path/SSH dependencies that also use the plugin.
+  This is mainly for distro package maintainers who need to patch existing releases,
+  without needing access to the original repository.
+
 ## Alternatives
 
 - [hatch-vcs](https://github.com/ofek/hatch-vcs)
diff --git a/src/uv_dynamic_versioning/main.py b/src/uv_dynamic_versioning/main.py
index aae3c47..307a719 100644
--- a/src/uv_dynamic_versioning/main.py
+++ b/src/uv_dynamic_versioning/main.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import os
 from pathlib import Path
 
 import tomlkit
@@ -25,6 +26,9 @@ def validate(project: tomlkit.TOMLDocument):
 
 @safe
 def get_version(config: schemas.UvDynamicVersioning) -> str:
+    if "UV_DYNAMIC_VERSIONING_BYPASS" in os.environ:
+        return os.environ["UV_DYNAMIC_VERSIONING_BYPASS"]
+
     version = Version.from_vcs(
         config.vcs,
         latest_tag=config.latest_tag,
@@ -36,6 +40,7 @@ def get_version(config: schemas.UvDynamicVersioning) -> str:
         pattern=config.pattern,
         pattern_prefix=config.pattern_prefix,
     )
+
     return version.serialize(
         metadata=config.metadata,
         style=config.style,
diff --git a/tests/test_env_bypass.py b/tests/test_env_bypass.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d9f8bdc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_env_bypass.py
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+import os
+
+import pytest
+
+from uv_dynamic_versioning import schemas
+from uv_dynamic_versioning.main import get_version
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def version():
+    return "1.1.1"
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def set_uv_dynamic_versioning_bypass(version: str):
+    os.environ["UV_DYNAMIC_VERSIONING_BYPASS"] = version
+
+    try:
+        yield version
+    finally:
+        del os.environ["UV_DYNAMIC_VERSIONING_BYPASS"]
+
+
+@pytest.mark.usefixtures("set_uv_dynamic_versioning_bypass")
+def test_get_version(version: str):
+    got = get_version(schemas.UvDynamicVersioning()).unwrap()
+    assert got == version