diff --git a/python/podio/base_reader.py b/python/podio/base_reader.py
index a2c98a692..e078aa4ad 100644
--- a/python/podio/base_reader.py
+++ b/python/podio/base_reader.py
@@ -81,28 +81,28 @@ def get_datamodel_definition(self, edm_name):
             return ""
         return self._reader.getDatamodelDefinition(edm_name).data()
 
-    def current_file_version(self):
-        """Get the podio (build) version that was used to write this file
+    def current_file_version(self, edm_name=None):
+        """Get the (build) version that was used to write this file
 
-        Returns:
-            podio.version.Version: The build version of podio that was use to
-                write this file
-        """
-        return self._reader.currentFileVersion()
-
-    def get_datamodel_version(self, edm_name):
-        """Get the datamodel version
+        If called without argument or None, the podio build version is returned
+        otherwise the build version of the datamodel
 
         Args:
-            edm_name (str): The package name of the datamodel
+            edm_name (str, optional): The package name of the datamodel
 
         Returns:
-            podio.version.Version: The version of the datamodel if available
+            podio.version.Version: The build version of podio or the build
+                version of the datamodel (if available) that was used to write
+                this file
 
         Raises:
             KeyError: If the datamodel does not have a version stored
-            RuntimeError: If the reader is a legacy reader
+            RuntimeError: If the reader is a legacy reader and a datamodel
+                version is requested
         """
+        if edm_name is None:
+            return self._reader.currentFileVersion()
+
         if self._is_legacy:
             raise RuntimeError("Legacy readers do not store any version info")
         maybe_version = self._reader.currentFileVersion(edm_name)
diff --git a/python/podio/test_Reader.py b/python/podio/test_Reader.py
index 8324deab1..6be55467d 100644
--- a/python/podio/test_Reader.py
+++ b/python/podio/test_Reader.py
@@ -79,15 +79,15 @@ def test_available_datamodels(self):
         for model in datamodels:
             self.assertTrue(model in ("datamodel", "extension_model"))
 
-        self.assertEqual(self.reader.get_datamodel_version("datamodel"), build_version)
+        self.assertEqual(self.reader.current_file_version("datamodel"), build_version)
 
     def test_invalid_datamodel_version(self):
         """Make sure that the necessary exceptions are raised"""
         with self.assertRaises(KeyError):
-            self.reader.get_datamodel_version("extension_model")
+            self.reader.current_file_version("extension_model")
 
         with self.assertRaises(KeyError):
-            self.reader.get_datamodel_version("non-existant-model")
+            self.reader.current_file_version("non-existant-model")
 
 
 class LegacyReaderTestCaseMixin:
diff --git a/tools/podio-dump b/tools/podio-dump
index a896cf3ca..f85387711 100755
--- a/tools/podio-dump
+++ b/tools/podio-dump
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ def print_general_info(reader, filename):
 
     Args:
         reader (root_io.Reader, sio_io.Reader): An initialized reader
+        filename (str): The name of the input file
     """
     legacy_text = " (this is a legacy file!)" if reader.is_legacy else ""
     print(
@@ -30,7 +31,7 @@ def print_general_info(reader, filename):
     print("datamodel model definitions stored in this file: ")
     for edm_name in reader.datamodel_definitions:
         try:
-            edm_version = reader.get_datamodel_version(edm_name)
+            edm_version = reader.current_file_version(edm_name)
             print(f" - {edm_name} ({version_as_str(edm_version)})")
         except KeyError:
             print(f" - {edm_name}")