diff --git a/configure.ac.in b/configure.ac.in
index fad7eb13..46da906c 100644
--- a/configure.ac.in
+++ b/configure.ac.in
@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@ dnl major, minor and micro version macros.
 m4_define([conky_version_major], [1])
 m4_define([conky_version_minor], [8])
 m4_define([conky_version_micro], [1])
-m4_define([conky_version_tag]) dnl, [pre]) dnl [] for releases
-m4_define([conky_version_revision],[_rc1])
+m4_define([conky_version_tag]), [pre]) dnl [] for releases
+m4_define([conky_version_revision],[_pre@REVISION@])
 m4_define([conky_version],
     [conky_version_major().conky_version_minor().conky_version_micro()ifelse(
       conky_version_tag(), [pre],