diff --git a/debian/rules b/debian/rules
index 79093ca28a..8c5a6fa003 100755
--- a/debian/rules
+++ b/debian/rules
@@ -71,8 +71,8 @@ release  := $(wx_major_version_number).$(wx_minor_version_number)
 # specify $soversion below.  Re-automate if incompatible changes
 # result in it actually changing.
 #soversion := $(shell grep '^WX_CURRENT=' configure.in | sed 's/WX_CURRENT=\([0-9]\+\).*/\1/')
-##soversion := 0
-##sorelease := $(release:%-$(DEBIAN_WXFLAVOUR)=%)-$(soversion)$(addprefix -,$(DEBIAN_WXFLAVOUR))
+soversion := 0
+sorelease := $(release:%-$(DEBIAN_WXFLAVOUR)=%)-$(soversion)$(addprefix -,$(DEBIAN_WXFLAVOUR))
 
 # In some places we use the full version number, including the micro version,
 # for the development releases (which can be incompatible for the same major
@@ -281,7 +281,7 @@ debian/python-version:
 	echo python_ver := python$(shell python -c "import sys;print sys.version[:3]") > $@
 
 debian/control: $(addprefix debian/,control.in python-version)
-	sed -e 's/=V/$(release)/g;s/=SOV/$(release)/g;s/=PY/$(python_ver)/g;s/=U/$(unicode_suffix)/g'\
+	sed -e 's/=V/$(release)/g;s/=SOV/$(sorelease)/g;s/=PY/$(python_ver)/g;s/=U/$(unicode_suffix)/g'\
 		< debian/control.in > debian/control
 
 control-files-stamp: debian/control
@@ -363,7 +363,7 @@ control-files-stamp: debian/control
 #			> debian/$(package_common).menu;
 	@echo "generating control file lintian-override";                    \
 		sed -e 's/=V/$(release)/g;                                  '\
-'			s/=SOV/$(release)/g'                                 \
+'			s/=SOV/$(sorelease)/g'                               \
 			< debian/lintian-override.in                         \
 			> debian/lintian-override;                           \
 	touch $@