diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 15bb11ecd4..35d3de37a6 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -13,12 +13,19 @@ project('systemd', 'c',
         meson_version : '>= 0.60.0',
        )
 
+project_major_version = meson.project_version().split('.')[0].split('~')[0]
+if meson.project_version().contains('.')
+        project_minor_version = meson.project_version().split('.')[-1].split('~')[0]
+else
+        project_minor_version = '0'
+endif
+
 libsystemd_version = '0.39.0'
 libudev_version = '1.7.9'
 
 conf = configuration_data()
 conf.set_quoted('PROJECT_URL', 'https://systemd.io/')
-conf.set('PROJECT_VERSION', meson.project_version().split('~')[0],
+conf.set('PROJECT_VERSION', project_major_version,
          description : 'Numerical project version (used where a simple number is expected)')
 conf.set_quoted('PROJECT_VERSION_FULL', meson.project_version(), description : 'Full project version')
 
@@ -1996,7 +2003,7 @@ version_h = vcs_tag(
 
 shared_lib_tag = get_option('shared-lib-tag')
 if shared_lib_tag == ''
-        shared_lib_tag = meson.project_version().split('~')[0]
+        shared_lib_tag = project_major_version
 endif
 
 #####################################################################
@@ -2749,17 +2756,11 @@ foreach exec : public_programs
                      args : exec.full_path(),
                      depends: exec)
 
-                version = meson.project_version()
-                if name == 'udevadm'
-                        # For compatibility reasons we can't use the full version in udevadm.
-                        version = version.split('~')[0]
-                endif
-
                 test('check-version-' + name,
                      check_version,
                      suite : 'dist',
                      args : [exec.full_path(),
-                             version],
+                             project_major_version],
                      depends: exec)
         endif
 endforeach
diff --git a/src/basic/build.c b/src/basic/build.c
index 3ab25f72a7..488ed20713 100644
--- a/src/basic/build.c
+++ b/src/basic/build.c
@@ -287,8 +287,8 @@ int version(void) {
         if (colors_enabled())
                 b = systemd_features_with_color();
 
-        printf("%ssystemd " PROJECT_VERSION_FULL "%s (" GIT_VERSION ")\n%s\n",
-               ansi_highlight(), ansi_normal(),
+        printf("%ssystemd %i%s (" GIT_VERSION ")\n%s\n",
+               ansi_highlight(), PROJECT_VERSION, ansi_normal(),
                b ?: systemd_features);
         return 0;
 }
diff --git a/src/boot/efi/meson.build b/src/boot/efi/meson.build
index e620cc1b18..d98d2de281 100644
--- a/src/boot/efi/meson.build
+++ b/src/boot/efi/meson.build
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ foreach ctype : ['color-normal', 'color-entry', 'color-highlight', 'color-edit']
                 'EFI_' + c[1].strip().underscorify().to_upper()))
 endforeach
 
-efi_conf.set_quoted('PROJECT_VERSION', meson.project_version().split('~')[0])
+efi_conf.set_quoted('PROJECT_VERSION', project_major_version)
 efi_conf.set_quoted('VERSION_TAG', version_tag)
 efi_conf.set('PROJECT_URL', conf.get('PROJECT_URL'))
 
@@ -391,8 +391,8 @@ foreach efi_elf_binary : efi_elf_binaries
                 install_tag : 'systemd-boot',
                 command : [
                         elf2efi_py,
-                        '--version-major=' + meson.project_version().split('.')[0].split('~')[0],
-                        '--version-minor=' + meson.project_version().split('.')[-1].split('~')[0],
+                        '--version-major=' + project_major_version,
+                        '--version-minor=' + project_minor_version,
                         '--efi-major=1',
                         '--efi-minor=1',
                         '--subsystem=10',
diff --git a/src/kernel-install/60-ukify.install.in b/src/kernel-install/60-ukify.install.in
index 54a5dafa72..076390dd04 100755
--- a/src/kernel-install/60-ukify.install.in
+++ b/src/kernel-install/60-ukify.install.in
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ from shutil import which
 from pathlib import Path
 from typing import Optional
 
-__version__ = '{{PROJECT_VERSION_FULL}} ({{VERSION_TAG}})'
+__version__ = '{{PROJECT_VERSION}} ({{VERSION_TAG}})'
 
 try:
     VERBOSE = int(os.environ['KERNEL_INSTALL_VERBOSE']) > 0
diff --git a/src/ukify/ukify.py b/src/ukify/ukify.py
index 5a36ce06ee..3478ff5689 100755
--- a/src/ukify/ukify.py
+++ b/src/ukify/ukify.py
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ from typing import (Any,
 
 import pefile  # type: ignore
 
-__version__ = '{{PROJECT_VERSION_FULL}} ({{VERSION_TAG}})'
+__version__ = '{{PROJECT_VERSION}} ({{VERSION_TAG}})'
 
 EFI_ARCH_MAP = {
     # host_arch glob : [efi_arch, 32_bit_efi_arch if mixed mode is supported]