diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index c43b570..fdce3cf 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@
 pkgconfigdir = $(libdir)/pkgconfig
 pkgconfig_DATA = valgrind.pc
 
-BUILT_SOURCES  = default.supp valgrind.pc
+BUILT_SOURCES  = default.supp include/vgversion.h valgrind.pc
 CLEANFILES     = default.supp
 
 default.supp: $(DEFAULT_SUPP_FILES)
@@ -116,16 +116,26 @@
 	valgrind.spec \
 	autogen.sh
 
+dist-hook: include/vgversion.h
+	cp -p include/vgversion.h $(distdir)/include/vgversion_dist.h
+
 dist_noinst_SCRIPTS = \
 	vg-in-place
 
-all-local: default.supp
+all-local: default.supp include/vgversion.h
 	mkdir -p $(inplacedir)
 	rm -f $(inplacedir)/default.supp
 	ln -s ../default.supp $(inplacedir)
 
 clean-local:
-	rm -rf $(inplacedir)
+	rm -rf $(inplacedir) include/vgversion.h
 
 # Need config.h in the installed tree, since some files depend on it
 pkginclude_HEADERS = config.h
+
+# vgversion.h defines accurate versions to report with -v --version
+include/vgversion.h:
+	$(top_srcdir)/auxprogs/make_or_upd_vgversion_h $(top_srcdir)
+
+.PHONY: include/vgversion.h
+