diff --git a/pkgs/build-support/release/debian-build.nix b/pkgs/build-support/release/debian-build.nix
index 8d2ea849a09f..0095a2ff8818 100644
--- a/pkgs/build-support/release/debian-build.nix
+++ b/pkgs/build-support/release/debian-build.nix
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ vmTools.runInLinuxImage (stdenv.mkDerivation (
         --fstrans=${if fsTranslation then "yes" else "no"} \
         --requires="${concatStringsSep "," debRequires}" \
         --provides="${concatStringsSep "," debProvides}" \
+        ${optionalString (src ? version) "--pkgversion=$(echo ${src.version} | tr _ -)"} \
         make install
 
       mkdir -p $out/debs