diff --git a/debian/bin/gencontrol.py b/debian/bin/gencontrol.py
index fd92b8948..a885d851b 100755
--- a/debian/bin/gencontrol.py
+++ b/debian/bin/gencontrol.py
@@ -18,6 +18,10 @@ class Gencontrol(Base):
         super(Gencontrol, self).do_main_setup(vars, makeflags, extra)
         vars.update(self.config['image',])
         makeflags.update({
+            'MAJOR': self.version.linux_major,
+            'VERSION': self.version.linux_version,
+            'UPSTREAMVERSION': self.version.linux_upstream,
+            'ABINAME': self.abiname,
             'SOURCEVERSION': self.version.complete,
         })
 
@@ -262,7 +266,13 @@ class Gencontrol(Base):
             self.abiname = ''
         else:
             self.abiname = '-%s' % self.config['abi',]['abiname']
-        self.vars = self.process_version_linux(self.version, self.abiname)
+        self.vars = {
+            'upstreamversion': self.version.linux_upstream,
+            'version': self.version.linux_version,
+            'source_upstream': self.version.upstream,
+            'major': self.version.linux_major,
+            'abiname': self.abiname,
+        }
         self.config['version',] = {'source': self.version.complete, 'abiname': self.abiname}
 
     def process_real_image(self, in_entry, relations, config, vars):
diff --git a/debian/lib/python/debian_linux/gencontrol.py b/debian/lib/python/debian_linux/gencontrol.py
index 19f3abcd1..be394308e 100644
--- a/debian/lib/python/debian_linux/gencontrol.py
+++ b/debian/lib/python/debian_linux/gencontrol.py
@@ -108,12 +108,7 @@ class Gencontrol(object):
             self.do_arch(packages, makefile, arch, vars.copy(), makeflags.copy(), extra)
 
     def do_main_setup(self, vars, makeflags, extra):
-        makeflags.update({
-            'MAJOR': self.version.linux_major,
-            'VERSION': self.version.linux_version,
-            'UPSTREAMVERSION': self.version.linux_upstream,
-            'ABINAME': self.abiname,
-        })
+        pass
 
     def do_main_makefile(self, makefile, makeflags, extra):
         makefile.add('binary-indep', cmds = ["$(MAKE) -f debian/rules.real binary-indep %s" % makeflags])
@@ -280,15 +275,6 @@ class Gencontrol(object):
             entries.append(self.process_package(i, vars))
         return entries
 
-    def process_version_linux(self, version, abiname):
-        return {
-            'upstreamversion': version.linux_upstream,
-            'version': version.linux_version,
-            'source_upstream': version.upstream,
-            'major': version.linux_major,
-            'abiname': abiname,
-        }
-
     def substitute(self, s, vars):
         if isinstance(s, (list, tuple)):
             for i in xrange(len(s)):