diff --git a/extensions/ql-vscode/CHANGELOG.md b/extensions/ql-vscode/CHANGELOG.md
index 61c910aa25a..f6c17adce8f 100644
--- a/extensions/ql-vscode/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/extensions/ql-vscode/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 
 ## [UNRELEASED]
 
+- Fixed a bug where copying the version information fails when a CodeQL CLI cannot be found. [#958](https://github.com/github/vscode-codeql/pull/958)
+
 ## 1.5.5 - 08 September 2021
 
 - Fix bug where a query is sometimes run before the file is saved. [#947](https://github.com/github/vscode-codeql/pull/947)
diff --git a/extensions/ql-vscode/src/extension.ts b/extensions/ql-vscode/src/extension.ts
index 7fedd49a722..f435013dddd 100644
--- a/extensions/ql-vscode/src/extension.ts
+++ b/extensions/ql-vscode/src/extension.ts
@@ -792,11 +792,19 @@ async function activateWithInstalledDistribution(
 
   ctx.subscriptions.push(
     commandRunner('codeQL.copyVersion', async () => {
-      const text = `CodeQL extension version: ${extension?.packageJSON.version} \nCodeQL CLI version: ${await cliServer.getVersion()} \nPlatform: ${os.platform()} ${os.arch()}`;
+      const text = `CodeQL extension version: ${extension?.packageJSON.version} \nCodeQL CLI version: ${await getCliVersion()} \nPlatform: ${os.platform()} ${os.arch()}`;
       await env.clipboard.writeText(text);
       void helpers.showAndLogInformationMessage(text);
     }));
 
+  const getCliVersion = async () => {
+    try {
+      return await cliServer.getVersion();
+    } catch {
+      return '<missing>';
+    }
+  };
+
   // The "authenticateToGitHub" command is internal-only.
   ctx.subscriptions.push(
     commandRunner('codeQL.authenticateToGitHub', async () => {