diff --git a/tools/version.h.in b/tools/version.h.in
index 782d36352..6aeb9f46c 100644
--- a/tools/version.h.in
+++ b/tools/version.h.in
@@ -2,6 +2,16 @@
 #ifndef NOTCURSES_VERSION_HEADER
 #define NOTCURSES_VERSION_HEADER
 
+#define NOTCURSES_VERNUM_MAJOR @notcurses_VERSION_MAJOR@
+#define NOTCURSES_VERNUM_MINOR @notcurses_VERSION_MINOR@
+#define NOTCURSES_VERNUM_PATCH @notcurses_VERSION_PATCH@
+#define NOTCURSES_VERNUM_TWEAK @notcurses_VERSION_TWEAK@
+
+#define NOTCURSES_VERNUM_ORDERED \
+ ((NOTCURSES_VERNUM_MAJOR << 16u) + \
+  (NOTCURSES_VERNUM_MINOR << 8u) + \
+  (NOTCURSES_VERNUM_PATCH))
+
 #define NOTCURSES_VERSION_MAJOR "@notcurses_VERSION_MAJOR@"
 #define NOTCURSES_VERSION_MINOR "@notcurses_VERSION_MINOR@"
 #define NOTCURSES_VERSION_PATCH "@notcurses_VERSION_PATCH@"