diff --git a/docs/_ext/import_projects.py b/docs/_ext/import_projects.py
index b4cb011012..8962c40855 100644
--- a/docs/_ext/import_projects.py
+++ b/docs/_ext/import_projects.py
@@ -33,6 +33,11 @@ class Project:
 
 
 def update_sys_path_for_flytekit(import_project_config: ImportProjectsConfig):
+    # create flytekit/_version.py file manually
+    with open(f"{import_project_config.flytekit_api_dir}/flytekit/_version.py", "w") as f:
+        f.write(f'__version__ = "dev"')
+
+
     # add flytekit to python path
     flytekit_dir = os.path.abspath(import_project_config.flytekit_api_dir)
     flytekit_src_dir = os.path.abspath(os.path.join(flytekit_dir, "flytekit"))