diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index 7ff80355d4c747d6f319599b2a8f034e61b68b67..930ba94189142cc50a0d158b8cdbc47696a50679 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -222,8 +222,11 @@ script:
       done
     fi
 
-# build conda package
+# set CONDA_VERSION to TRAVIS_TAG, if available
   - if test -n "${TRAVIS_TAG}" ; then CONDA_VERSION="${TRAVIS_TAG//-/_}" ; else CONDA_VERSION=unspecified ; fi
+# remove initial v - only makes sense with official releases
+  - CONDA_VERSION="${CONDA_VERSION#v}"
+# build conda package
   - if test -n "$PLUMED_CONDA" ; then VERSION="$CONDA_VERSION" make -C conda ; fi
 
 # build docker container