diff --git a/rust/operator-binary/build.rs b/rust/operator-binary/build.rs
index d8f91cb9..ed36fcf0 100644
--- a/rust/operator-binary/build.rs
+++ b/rust/operator-binary/build.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,13 @@
+use std::path::PathBuf;
+
 fn main() {
-    built::write_built_file().expect("Failed to acquire build-time information");
+    let out_dir = PathBuf::from(std::env::var("OUT_DIR").expect("OUT_DIR is required"));
+    built::write_built_file_with_opts(
+        // built's env module depends on a whole bunch of variables that crate2nix doesn't provide
+        // so we grab the specific env variables that we care about out ourselves instead.
+        built::Options::default().set_env(false),
+        "Cargo.toml".as_ref(),
+        &out_dir.join("built.rs"),
+    )
+    .unwrap();
 }
diff --git a/rust/operator-binary/src/stackable-kafka-operator.rs b/rust/operator-binary/src/stackable-kafka-operator.rs
index 4b117748..6bc68d92 100644
--- a/rust/operator-binary/src/stackable-kafka-operator.rs
+++ b/rust/operator-binary/src/stackable-kafka-operator.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-use clap::Parser;
+use clap::{crate_description, crate_version, Parser};
 use stackable_kafka_crd::{KafkaCluster, APP_NAME, OPERATOR_NAME};
 use stackable_kafka_operator::ControllerConfig;
 use stackable_operator::{
@@ -9,10 +9,11 @@ use stackable_operator::{
 mod built_info {
     // The file has been placed there by the build script.
     include!(concat!(env!("OUT_DIR"), "/built.rs"));
+    pub const TARGET_PLATFORM: Option<&str> = option_env!("TARGET");
 }
 
 #[derive(clap::Parser)]
-#[clap(about = built_info::PKG_DESCRIPTION, author = stackable_operator::cli::AUTHOR)]
+#[clap(about, author)]
 struct Opts {
     #[clap(subcommand)]
     cmd: Command<KafkaRun>,
@@ -46,10 +47,10 @@ async fn main() -> Result<(), error::Error> {
                 tracing_target,
             );
             stackable_operator::utils::print_startup_string(
-                built_info::PKG_DESCRIPTION,
-                built_info::PKG_VERSION,
+                crate_description!(),
+                crate_version!(),
                 built_info::GIT_VERSION,
-                built_info::TARGET,
+                built_info::TARGET_PLATFORM.unwrap_or("unknown target"),
                 built_info::BUILT_TIME_UTC,
                 built_info::RUSTC_VERSION,
             );