diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 3ee1567a..4aad0aa7 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -217,6 +217,7 @@ src/pacman/Makefile
 src/pacman/po/Makefile.in
 src/util/Makefile
 scripts/Makefile
+scripts/abs
 scripts/makepkg
 doc/Makefile
 etc/Makefile
diff --git a/scripts/Makefile.am b/scripts/Makefile.am
index 3e81b8cc..58312e0a 100644
--- a/scripts/Makefile.am
+++ b/scripts/Makefile.am
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ bin_SCRIPTS = \
 	repo-remove \
 	updatesync
 
-EXTRA_DIST = abs \
+EXTRA_DIST = abs.in \
 	     gensync \
 	     makepkg.in \
 	     makeworld \
diff --git a/scripts/abs b/scripts/abs.in
similarity index 82%
rename from scripts/abs
rename to scripts/abs.in
index 2ec4322c..76040270 100755
--- a/scripts/abs
+++ b/scripts/abs.in
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
+myver='@PACKAGE_VERSION@'
 CONFDIR="/etc/abs"
 CONNMODE="m"
 
@@ -19,6 +20,15 @@ usage() {
 	echo "If -p is specified, the connection is opened in passive mode."
 }
 
+version() {
+	printf "abs (pacman) %s\n" "$myver"
+	printf "Copyright (C) 2002-2007 Judd Vinet <jvinet@zeroflux.org>.\n"
+	echo
+	printf "This is free software; see the source for copying conditions.\n"
+	printf "There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.\n"
+	echo
+}
+
 update() {
 	cd "$ABSROOT"
 	for sup in "${SUPFILES[@]}"; do
@@ -42,6 +52,11 @@ if [ "$1" = "-h" ] || [ "$1" = "--help" ]; then
 	exit 0
 fi
 
+if [ "$1" = "-V" ] || [ "$1" = "--version" ]; then
+	version
+	exit 0
+fi
+
 if [ ! -d "$ABSROOT" ]; then
 	echo "abs: $ABSROOT does not exist (or is not a directory)"
 	exit 1