diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index c851e01e73..1e55e7fdf9 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -641,6 +641,7 @@ $(shell echo '#define QMK_VERSION "$(GIT_VERSION)"' > $(ROOT_DIR)/quantum/versio
 $(shell echo '#define QMK_BUILDDATE "$(BUILD_DATE)"' >> $(ROOT_DIR)/quantum/version.h)
 $(shell echo '#define CHIBIOS_VERSION "$(CHIBIOS_VERSION)"' >> $(ROOT_DIR)/quantum/version.h)
 $(shell echo '#define CHIBIOS_CONTRIB_VERSION "$(CHIBIOS_CONTRIB_VERSION)"' >> $(ROOT_DIR)/quantum/version.h)
+$(shell python3 util/build_id.py >> $(ROOT_DIR)/quantum/version.h)
 else
 BUILD_DATE := NA
 endif
diff --git a/quantum/via.c b/quantum/via.c
index 263c0f4958..253cecae67 100644
--- a/quantum/via.c
+++ b/quantum/via.c
@@ -65,10 +65,16 @@ void via_qmk_rgblight_get_value(uint8_t *data);
 // Can be called in an overriding via_init_kb() to test if keyboard level code usage of
 // EEPROM is invalid and use/save defaults.
 bool via_eeprom_is_valid(void) {
+#ifdef VIAL_ENABLE
+    uint8_t magic0 = BUILD_ID & 0xFF;
+    uint8_t magic1 = (BUILD_ID >> 8) & 0xFF;
+    uint8_t magic2 = (BUILD_ID >> 16) & 0xFF;
+#else
     char *  p      = QMK_BUILDDATE;  // e.g. "2019-11-05-11:29:54"
     uint8_t magic0 = ((p[2] & 0x0F) << 4) | (p[3] & 0x0F);
     uint8_t magic1 = ((p[5] & 0x0F) << 4) | (p[6] & 0x0F);
     uint8_t magic2 = ((p[8] & 0x0F) << 4) | (p[9] & 0x0F);
+#endif
 
     return (eeprom_read_byte((void *)VIA_EEPROM_MAGIC_ADDR + 0) == magic0 && eeprom_read_byte((void *)VIA_EEPROM_MAGIC_ADDR + 1) == magic1 && eeprom_read_byte((void *)VIA_EEPROM_MAGIC_ADDR + 2) == magic2);
 }
@@ -76,10 +82,16 @@ bool via_eeprom_is_valid(void) {
 // Sets VIA/keyboard level usage of EEPROM to valid/invalid
 // Keyboard level code (eg. via_init_kb()) should not call this
 void via_eeprom_set_valid(bool valid) {
+#ifdef VIAL_ENABLE
+    uint8_t magic0 = BUILD_ID & 0xFF;
+    uint8_t magic1 = (BUILD_ID >> 8) & 0xFF;
+    uint8_t magic2 = (BUILD_ID >> 16) & 0xFF;
+#else
     char *  p      = QMK_BUILDDATE;  // e.g. "2019-11-05-11:29:54"
     uint8_t magic0 = ((p[2] & 0x0F) << 4) | (p[3] & 0x0F);
     uint8_t magic1 = ((p[5] & 0x0F) << 4) | (p[6] & 0x0F);
     uint8_t magic2 = ((p[8] & 0x0F) << 4) | (p[9] & 0x0F);
+#endif
 
     eeprom_update_byte((void *)VIA_EEPROM_MAGIC_ADDR + 0, valid ? magic0 : 0xFF);
     eeprom_update_byte((void *)VIA_EEPROM_MAGIC_ADDR + 1, valid ? magic1 : 0xFF);
diff --git a/util/build_id.py b/util/build_id.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..77e56b5938
--- /dev/null
+++ b/util/build_id.py
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+import random
+
+
+def main():
+    print("#define BUILD_ID ((uint32_t)0x{:08X})".format(random.randrange(0, 2 ** 24 - 1)))
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()