diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 65d4253..3028dfb 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [tool.poetry]
 name = "sdk-reforge"
-version = "1.0.0"
+version = "1.0.1"
 description = "Python sdk for Reforge Feature Flags and Config as a Service: https://www.reforge.com"
 license = "MIT"
 authors = ["Michael Berkowitz <michael.berkowitz@gmail.com>", "James Kebinger <james.kebinger@reforge.com>"]
diff --git a/sdk_reforge/VERSION b/sdk_reforge/VERSION
index 3eefcb9..7dea76e 100644
--- a/sdk_reforge/VERSION
+++ b/sdk_reforge/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-1.0.0
+1.0.1
diff --git a/sdk_reforge/__init__.py b/sdk_reforge/__init__.py
index bf36192..d6c64f5 100644
--- a/sdk_reforge/__init__.py
+++ b/sdk_reforge/__init__.py
@@ -20,11 +20,11 @@
 """
 
 from typing import Optional
+import os
 
 from . import _internal_logging
 from .options import Options as Options
 from .sdk import ReforgeSDK as ReforgeSDK
-from importlib.metadata import version
 from .read_write_lock import ReadWriteLock as _ReadWriteLock
 from .context import Context, NamedContext
 from .feature_flag_sdk import FeatureFlagSDK
@@ -52,6 +52,25 @@
 log = _internal_logging.InternalLogger(__name__)
 
 
+__version_cache: Optional[str] = None
+
+
+def _get_version() -> str:
+    """Get the SDK version from the VERSION file (cached after first read)"""
+    global __version_cache
+    if __version_cache is not None:
+        return __version_cache
+
+    try:
+        version_file = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), "VERSION")
+        with open(version_file, "r") as f:
+            __version_cache = f.read().strip()
+            return __version_cache
+    except Exception:
+        __version_cache = "unknown"
+        return __version_cache
+
+
 __base_sdk: Optional[ReforgeSDK] = None
 __options: Optional[Options] = None
 __lock = _ReadWriteLock()
@@ -75,7 +94,7 @@ def get_sdk() -> ReforgeSDK:
         if not __options:
             raise Exception("Options has not been set")
         if not __base_sdk:
-            log.info(f"Initializing Reforge SDK version {version('reforge-python')}")
+            log.info(f"Initializing Reforge SDK version {_get_version()}")
             __base_sdk = ReforgeSDK(__options)
             return __base_sdk
 
diff --git a/sdk_reforge/options.py b/sdk_reforge/options.py
index e83ed39..8d3fafb 100644
--- a/sdk_reforge/options.py
+++ b/sdk_reforge/options.py
@@ -9,22 +9,22 @@
 from .constants import ContextDictType
 
 
-class MissingApiKeyException(Exception):
+class MissingSdkKeyException(Exception):
     """
-    Raised when no API key is found
+    Raised when no SDK key is found
     """
 
     def __init__(self) -> None:
-        super().__init__("No API key found")
+        super().__init__("No SDK key found - set REFORGE_BACKEND_SDK_KEY")
 
 
-class InvalidApiKeyException(Exception):
+class InvalidSdkKeyException(Exception):
     """
-    Raised when an invalid API key is provided
+    Raised when an invalid SDK key is provided
     """
 
     def __init__(self, api_key: str) -> None:
-        super().__init__(f"Invalid API key: {api_key}")
+        super().__init__(f"Invalid SDK key: {api_key}")
 
 
 class InvalidApiUrlException(Exception):
@@ -138,10 +138,10 @@ def __set_api_key(self, api_key: Optional[str]) -> None:
             return
 
         if api_key is None:
-            raise MissingApiKeyException()
+            raise MissingSdkKeyException()
         api_key = str(api_key).strip()
         if "-" not in api_key:
-            raise InvalidApiKeyException(api_key)
+            raise InvalidSdkKeyException(api_key)
         self.api_key = api_key
         self.api_key_id = api_key.split("-")[0]
 
diff --git a/tests/test_options.py b/tests/test_options.py
index 5df988d..1253040 100644
--- a/tests/test_options.py
+++ b/tests/test_options.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 from sdk_reforge import Options
 from sdk_reforge.options import (
-    MissingApiKeyException,
-    InvalidApiKeyException,
+    MissingSdkKeyException,
+    InvalidSdkKeyException,
     InvalidApiUrlException,
     InvalidStreamUrlException,
 )
@@ -41,16 +41,16 @@ def test_api_key_from_input_overrides_env(self):
             assert options.api_key == "3-dev-api-key"
             assert options.api_key_id == "3"
 
-    def test_missing_api_key_error(self):
-        with pytest.raises(MissingApiKeyException) as context:
+    def test_missing_sdk_key_error(self):
+        with pytest.raises(MissingSdkKeyException) as context:
             Options()
 
-        assert "No API key found" in str(context)
+        assert "No SDK key found" in str(context)
 
-    def test_invalid_api_key_error(self):
-        with pytest.raises(InvalidApiKeyException) as context:
-            Options(sdk_key="bad_api_key")
-            assert "Invalid API key: bad_api_key" in str(context)
+    def test_invalid_sdk_key_error(self):
+        with pytest.raises(InvalidSdkKeyException) as context:
+            Options(sdk_key="bad_sdk_key")
+            assert "Invalid SDK key: bad_sdk_key" in str(context)
 
     def test_api_key_doesnt_matter_local_only_set_in_env(self):
         with extended_env({"REFORGE_DATASOURCES": "LOCAL_ONLY"}):