diff --git a/API.md b/API.md
index 837ed28..ed2e105 100644
--- a/API.md
+++ b/API.md
@@ -383,6 +383,23 @@ wget -O - -q http://localhost:8042/api/registry/aut-num/*/*-c/*burble?raw | jq
 }
 ```
 
+A special query exists to return metadata about the registry
+
+```
+GET /api/registry/.meta
+```
+
+Example Output (JSON format):
+```
+wget -O - -q http://localhost:8042/api/dns/.meta | jq
+```
+
+```
+{
+  "Commit": "fa89d022d0c2a48bcfbee405e2f3685f3b9cf063"
+}
+```
+
 ## DNS Root Zone API
 
 The DNS API provides a list of resource records that can be used to create a root zone for DN42
diff --git a/regapi.go b/regapi.go
index d94fd82..97eb369 100644
--- a/regapi.go
+++ b/regapi.go
@@ -15,6 +15,13 @@ import (
 	//	"time"
 )
 
+//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+// data structures
+
+type RegMetaReturn struct {
+	Commit string
+}
+
 //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 // register the api
 
@@ -38,6 +45,7 @@ func InitRegistryAPI(params ...interface{}) {
 	//s.HandleFunc("/.schema", rTypeListHandler)
 	//s.HandleFunc("/.meta/", rTypeListHandler)
 
+	s.HandleFunc("/.meta", regMetaHandler)
 	s.HandleFunc("/{type}", regTypeHandler)
 	s.HandleFunc("/{type}/{object}", regObjectHandler)
 	s.HandleFunc("/{type}/{object}/{key}", regKeyHandler)
@@ -46,6 +54,18 @@ func InitRegistryAPI(params ...interface{}) {
 	log.Info("Registry API installed")
 }
 
+//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+// return registry metadata
+
+func regMetaHandler(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+
+	rv := RegMetaReturn{
+		Commit: RegistryData.Commit,
+	}
+
+	ResponseJSON(w, rv)
+}
+
 //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 // filter functions