diff --git a/applets/busybox.c b/applets/busybox.c
index 041cdeb01..a88761aa2 100644
--- a/applets/busybox.c
+++ b/applets/busybox.c
@@ -4,6 +4,10 @@
 #include <string.h>
 #include <errno.h>
 
+#define bb_need_full_version
+#define BB_DECLARE_EXTERN
+#include "messages.c"
+
 static int been_there_done_that = 0;
 
 /* It has been alledged that doing such things can
@@ -504,14 +508,14 @@ int busybox_main(int argc, char **argv)
 	if (been_there_done_that == 1 || argc < 1) {
 		const struct BB_applet *a = applets;
 
-		fprintf(stderr, "BusyBox v%s (%s) multi-call binary -- GPL2\n\n"
+		fprintf(stderr, "%s\n\n"
 				"Usage: busybox [function] [arguments]...\n"
 				"   or: [function] [arguments]...\n\n"
 				"\tBusyBox is a multi-call binary that combines many common Unix\n"
 				"\tutilities into a single executable.  Most people will create a\n"
 				"\tlink to busybox for each function they wish to use, and BusyBox\n"
 				"\twill act like whatever it was invoked as.\n" 
-				"\nCurrently defined functions:\n", BB_VER, BB_BT);
+				"\nCurrently defined functions:\n", full_version);
 
 		while (a->name != 0) {
 			col +=
diff --git a/busybox.c b/busybox.c
index 041cdeb01..a88761aa2 100644
--- a/busybox.c
+++ b/busybox.c
@@ -4,6 +4,10 @@
 #include <string.h>
 #include <errno.h>
 
+#define bb_need_full_version
+#define BB_DECLARE_EXTERN
+#include "messages.c"
+
 static int been_there_done_that = 0;
 
 /* It has been alledged that doing such things can
@@ -504,14 +508,14 @@ int busybox_main(int argc, char **argv)
 	if (been_there_done_that == 1 || argc < 1) {
 		const struct BB_applet *a = applets;
 
-		fprintf(stderr, "BusyBox v%s (%s) multi-call binary -- GPL2\n\n"
+		fprintf(stderr, "%s\n\n"
 				"Usage: busybox [function] [arguments]...\n"
 				"   or: [function] [arguments]...\n\n"
 				"\tBusyBox is a multi-call binary that combines many common Unix\n"
 				"\tutilities into a single executable.  Most people will create a\n"
 				"\tlink to busybox for each function they wish to use, and BusyBox\n"
 				"\twill act like whatever it was invoked as.\n" 
-				"\nCurrently defined functions:\n", BB_VER, BB_BT);
+				"\nCurrently defined functions:\n", full_version);
 
 		while (a->name != 0) {
 			col +=
diff --git a/editors/sed.c b/editors/sed.c
index 195175e88..3973d212d 100644
--- a/editors/sed.c
+++ b/editors/sed.c
@@ -52,6 +52,9 @@
 #include <ctype.h> /* for isspace() */
 #include "internal.h"
 
+#define bb_need_full_version
+#define BB_DECLARE_EXTERN
+#include "messages.c"
 
 /* externs */
 extern int optind; /* in unistd.h */
@@ -676,7 +679,7 @@ extern int sed_main(int argc, char **argv)
 	while ((opt = getopt(argc, argv, "Vhne:f:")) > 0) {
 		switch (opt) {
 			case 'V':
-				printf("BusyBox v%s (%s)\n", BB_VER, BB_BT);
+				printf("%s\n", full_version);
 				exit(0);
 				break;
 			case 'h':
diff --git a/init.c b/init.c
index 5a894392b..ab4ad5651 100644
--- a/init.c
+++ b/init.c
@@ -46,6 +46,10 @@
 # include <sys/syslog.h>
 #endif
 
+#define bb_need_full_version
+#define BB_DECLARE_EXTERN
+#include "messages.c"
+
 /* From <linux/vt.h> */
 struct vt_stat {
 	unsigned short v_active;        /* active vt */
@@ -938,16 +942,14 @@ extern int init_main(int argc, char **argv)
 			CONSOLE|
 #endif
 			LOG,
-			"init started:  BusyBox v%s (%s) multi-call binary\r\n",
-			BB_VER, BB_BT);
+			"init started:  %s\r\n", full_version);
 #else
 	message(
 #if ! defined BB_FEATURE_EXTRA_QUIET
 			CONSOLE|
 #endif
 			LOG,
-			"init(%d) started:  BusyBox v%s (%s) multi-call binary\r\n",
-			getpid(), BB_VER, BB_BT);
+			"init(%d) started:  %s\r\n", getpid(), full_version);
 #endif
 
 
diff --git a/init/init.c b/init/init.c
index 5a894392b..ab4ad5651 100644
--- a/init/init.c
+++ b/init/init.c
@@ -46,6 +46,10 @@
 # include <sys/syslog.h>
 #endif
 
+#define bb_need_full_version
+#define BB_DECLARE_EXTERN
+#include "messages.c"
+
 /* From <linux/vt.h> */
 struct vt_stat {
 	unsigned short v_active;        /* active vt */
@@ -938,16 +942,14 @@ extern int init_main(int argc, char **argv)
 			CONSOLE|
 #endif
 			LOG,
-			"init started:  BusyBox v%s (%s) multi-call binary\r\n",
-			BB_VER, BB_BT);
+			"init started:  %s\r\n", full_version);
 #else
 	message(
 #if ! defined BB_FEATURE_EXTRA_QUIET
 			CONSOLE|
 #endif
 			LOG,
-			"init(%d) started:  BusyBox v%s (%s) multi-call binary\r\n",
-			getpid(), BB_VER, BB_BT);
+			"init(%d) started:  %s\r\n", getpid(), full_version);
 #endif
 
 
diff --git a/lash.c b/lash.c
index 1dfce9e77..c9ef39f49 100644
--- a/lash.c
+++ b/lash.c
@@ -46,6 +46,10 @@
 #include "cmdedit.h"
 #endif
 
+#define bb_need_full_version
+#define BB_DECLARE_EXTERN
+#include "messages.c"
+
 #define MAX_READ	128	/* size of input buffer for `read' builtin */
 #define JOB_STATUS_FORMAT "[%d] %-22s %.40s\n"
 
@@ -1141,7 +1145,7 @@ int shell_main(int argc, char **argv)
 	//}
 
 	if (argc < 2) {
-		fprintf(stdout, "\n\nBusyBox v%s (%s) Built-in shell\n", BB_VER, BB_BT);
+		fprintf(stdout, "\n\n%s Built-in shell\n", full_version);
 		fprintf(stdout, "Enter 'help' for a list of built-in commands.\n\n");
 	} else {
 		if (argv[1][0]=='-' && argv[1][1]=='c') {
diff --git a/messages.c b/messages.c
index 428db9eaa..34b39f258 100644
--- a/messages.c
+++ b/messages.c
@@ -47,6 +47,10 @@
 #endif
 
 
+#if defined bb_need_full_version || ! defined BB_DECLARE_EXTERN
+	BB_DEF_MESSAGE(full_version,
+	 "BusyBox v" BB_VER " (" BB_BT ") multi-call binary -- GPL2")
+#endif
 #if defined bb_need_name_too_long || ! defined BB_DECLARE_EXTERN
 	BB_DEF_MESSAGE(name_too_long, "file name too long\n")
 #endif
diff --git a/sed.c b/sed.c
index 195175e88..3973d212d 100644
--- a/sed.c
+++ b/sed.c
@@ -52,6 +52,9 @@
 #include <ctype.h> /* for isspace() */
 #include "internal.h"
 
+#define bb_need_full_version
+#define BB_DECLARE_EXTERN
+#include "messages.c"
 
 /* externs */
 extern int optind; /* in unistd.h */
@@ -676,7 +679,7 @@ extern int sed_main(int argc, char **argv)
 	while ((opt = getopt(argc, argv, "Vhne:f:")) > 0) {
 		switch (opt) {
 			case 'V':
-				printf("BusyBox v%s (%s)\n", BB_VER, BB_BT);
+				printf("%s\n", full_version);
 				exit(0);
 				break;
 			case 'h':
diff --git a/sh.c b/sh.c
index 1dfce9e77..c9ef39f49 100644
--- a/sh.c
+++ b/sh.c
@@ -46,6 +46,10 @@
 #include "cmdedit.h"
 #endif
 
+#define bb_need_full_version
+#define BB_DECLARE_EXTERN
+#include "messages.c"
+
 #define MAX_READ	128	/* size of input buffer for `read' builtin */
 #define JOB_STATUS_FORMAT "[%d] %-22s %.40s\n"
 
@@ -1141,7 +1145,7 @@ int shell_main(int argc, char **argv)
 	//}
 
 	if (argc < 2) {
-		fprintf(stdout, "\n\nBusyBox v%s (%s) Built-in shell\n", BB_VER, BB_BT);
+		fprintf(stdout, "\n\n%s Built-in shell\n", full_version);
 		fprintf(stdout, "Enter 'help' for a list of built-in commands.\n\n");
 	} else {
 		if (argv[1][0]=='-' && argv[1][1]=='c') {
diff --git a/shell/lash.c b/shell/lash.c
index 1dfce9e77..c9ef39f49 100644
--- a/shell/lash.c
+++ b/shell/lash.c
@@ -46,6 +46,10 @@
 #include "cmdedit.h"
 #endif
 
+#define bb_need_full_version
+#define BB_DECLARE_EXTERN
+#include "messages.c"
+
 #define MAX_READ	128	/* size of input buffer for `read' builtin */
 #define JOB_STATUS_FORMAT "[%d] %-22s %.40s\n"
 
@@ -1141,7 +1145,7 @@ int shell_main(int argc, char **argv)
 	//}
 
 	if (argc < 2) {
-		fprintf(stdout, "\n\nBusyBox v%s (%s) Built-in shell\n", BB_VER, BB_BT);
+		fprintf(stdout, "\n\n%s Built-in shell\n", full_version);
 		fprintf(stdout, "Enter 'help' for a list of built-in commands.\n\n");
 	} else {
 		if (argv[1][0]=='-' && argv[1][1]=='c') {
diff --git a/utility.c b/utility.c
index 5f890c0ea..18d3c1440 100644
--- a/utility.c
+++ b/utility.c
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@
 #define bb_need_name_too_long
 #endif
 #define bb_need_memory_exhausted
+#define bb_need_full_version
 #define BB_DECLARE_EXTERN
 #include "messages.c"
 
@@ -84,8 +85,7 @@ const char mtab_file[] = "/dev/mtab";
 
 extern void usage(const char *usage)
 {
-	fprintf(stderr, "BusyBox v%s (%s) multi-call binary -- GPL2\n\n",
-			BB_VER, BB_BT);
+	fprintf(stderr, "%s\n\n", full_version);
 	fprintf(stderr, "Usage: %s\n", usage);
 	exit FALSE;
 }