diff --git a/make-dist b/make-dist
index c499645c4f2..c713f8e1574 100755
--- a/make-dist
+++ b/make-dist
@@ -153,8 +153,6 @@ then
 fi
 
 ### Find out which version of Emacs this is.
-shortversion=`grep 'char emacs_version' src/emacs.c \
-	 | sed -e 's/^.*"\([0-9][0-9]*\.[0-9][0-9]*\).*$/\1/'`
 version=`grep 'char emacs_version' src/emacs.c \
 	 | sed -e 's/^[^"]*"\([^"]*\)".*$/\1/'`
 if [ ! "${version}" ]; then
@@ -162,11 +160,11 @@ if [ ! "${version}" ]; then
   exit 1
 fi
 
-echo Version numbers are $version and $shortversion
+echo Version number is $version
 
 if [ $update = yes ];
 then
-  if grep -s "@set EMACSVER  *${shortversion}" ./doc/emacs/emacsver.texi > /dev/null; then
+  if grep -s "@set EMACSVER  *${version}" ./doc/emacs/emacsver.texi > /dev/null; then
     true
   else
     echo "You must update the version number in \`./doc/emacs/emacsver.texi'"