diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index f9e9b9f87dc25cfd5ee5355edd5336eefe4de42d..db68ffc7346f465822461c33385ee6b8b2aee595 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
 TOP=..
 
+CABALVERSION=1.1.7
+
 ifeq "$(findstring boilerplate.mk, $(wildcard $(TOP)/mk/*))" ""
 # ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Standalone Makefile:
 
-CABALVERSION=1.1.7
 KIND=rc
 #KIND=latest
 GHCFLAGS= --make -fno-warn-unused-matches -cpp
@@ -206,7 +207,7 @@ ALL_DIRS = \
 EXCLUDED_SRCS = DefaultSetup.lhs
 
 PACKAGE		= Cabal
-VERSION		= 1.1.7
+VERSION		= $(CABALVERSION)
 
 PACKAGE_DEPS	= base