diff --git a/project/pycgen.mk b/project/pycgen.mk
index 25c197c..faf67aa 100644
--- a/project/pycgen.mk
+++ b/project/pycgen.mk
@@ -11,10 +11,12 @@ PYCGEN_PYENCS = $(PYDIST_ENCODINGS_SRCS:$(PYDIST_ENCDIR)/%.py=$(PYCGEN_ENCDIR)/%
 
 $(PYDIST_PYCDIR)/./_sysconfigdata.py:
 		mkdir -p $(PYDIST_PYCDIR)
-		printf 'build_time_vars = {}\n' > $@
+		printf 'build_time_vars = {\n\t%s: %s\n}\n' \
+			"'VERSION'" "'"$(PYTHON_MAJOR).$(PYTHON_MINOR)"'" > $@
 
 $(PYCGEN_CFGDAT): $(PYCOMPILE_DIR)/tree.tag
-		printf 'build_time_vars = {}\n' > $@
+		printf 'build_time_vars = {\n\t%s: %s\n}\n' \
+			"'VERSION'" "'"$(PYTHON_MAJOR).$(PYTHON_MINOR)"'" > $@
 
 $(PYCOMPILE_DIR)/$(PYDIST_PYCDIR)/./%.py: $(SOURCE_DIR)/Lib/%.py $(PYCOMPILE_DIR)/tree.tag
 		PYCOPY_PYTHON=$(PYCOMPILE) \