diff --git a/ISSUE_TEMPLATE.md b/ISSUE_TEMPLATE.md
index 366a0834c..e9f4caa7e 100644
--- a/ISSUE_TEMPLATE.md
+++ b/ISSUE_TEMPLATE.md
@@ -4,6 +4,9 @@
 - [ ] Bug report (encountered problems with youtube-dl)
 - [ ] Other, namely ...
 
+**Run `youtube-dl --version` to check whether you have the latest version**
+- [ ] I've verified that I'm running the latest version available (2016.03.06)
+
 **Brief description of the problem/request**
 
 *I am having a problem with ... I have tried to do ... and ... I expected that ... would happen, but instead ... happened. Example: I tried to download a file but the site was not supported. Please add support for site xyz. Another example: I encountered a bug when downloading a video from xyz. I have tried to do a and b.*
@@ -19,10 +22,4 @@
 **Output of running youtube-dl with `--verbose` or `-v`**
 ```
 Replace the contents between the backticks (`) with the output of youtube-dl when running with the --verbose or -v flag.
-```
-
-**Output of running `youtube-dl --version`**
-```
-Replace the contents between the backticks (`) with the output of 'youtube-dl --version'.
-Make sure you are using the latest version by running 'youtube-dl --update'
-```
+```
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index e98806791..dabb58760 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-all: youtube-dl README.md CONTRIBUTING.md README.txt youtube-dl.1 youtube-dl.bash-completion youtube-dl.zsh youtube-dl.fish supportedsites
+all: youtube-dl README.md CONTRIBUTING.md issue_template README.txt youtube-dl.1 youtube-dl.bash-completion youtube-dl.zsh youtube-dl.fish supportedsites
 
 clean:
 	rm -rf youtube-dl.1.temp.md youtube-dl.1 youtube-dl.bash-completion README.txt MANIFEST build/ dist/ .coverage cover/ youtube-dl.tar.gz youtube-dl.zsh youtube-dl.fish *.dump *.part *.info.json *.mp4 *.flv *.mp3 *.avi CONTRIBUTING.md.tmp youtube-dl youtube-dl.exe
@@ -67,6 +67,9 @@ README.md: youtube_dl/*.py youtube_dl/*/*.py
 CONTRIBUTING.md: README.md
 	$(PYTHON) devscripts/make_contributing.py README.md CONTRIBUTING.md
 
+issue_template: ISSUE_TEMPLATE.md youtube_dl/version.py
+	$(PYTHON) devscripts/make_issue_template.py ISSUE_TEMPLATE.md
+
 supportedsites:
 	$(PYTHON) devscripts/make_supportedsites.py docs/supportedsites.md
 
diff --git a/devscripts/make_issue_template.py b/devscripts/make_issue_template.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..137c83532
--- /dev/null
+++ b/devscripts/make_issue_template.py
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+from __future__ import unicode_literals
+
+import io
+import optparse
+import re
+
+
+def main():
+    parser = optparse.OptionParser(usage='%prog FILE')
+    options, args = parser.parse_args()
+    if len(args) != 1:
+        parser.error('Expected an filename')
+
+    with io.open(args[0], encoding='utf-8') as inf:
+        issue_template_text = inf.read()
+
+    # Get the version from youtube_dl/version.py without importing the package
+    exec(compile(open('youtube_dl/version.py').read(),
+         'youtube_dl/version.py', 'exec'))
+
+    issue_template_text = re.sub(
+        r'(?<=available \()(?P<version>[0-9\.]+)(?=\))',
+        __version__,
+        issue_template_text
+    )
+
+    with io.open(args[0], 'w', encoding='utf-8') as outf:
+         outf.write(issue_template_text)
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    main()