diff --git a/Makefile.upgrade b/Makefile.upgrade
index ba8018e63c54..4e7b7ffc32e8 100644
--- a/Makefile.upgrade
+++ b/Makefile.upgrade
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #
-#	$Id: Makefile.upgrade,v 1.5 1998/09/09 06:02:31 jb Exp $
+#	$Id: Makefile.upgrade,v 1.6 1998/09/23 01:46:25 jb Exp $
 #
 # This makefile contains rules for preforming upgrades that are outside
 # the scope of the normal build world process.
@@ -15,7 +15,8 @@ MAKEOBJDIRPREFIX?=/usr/obj
 # The installed operating system release gives us the hint as to whether
 # we need to build a kernel too.
 #
-INSTALLEDVERSION!=uname -r
+INSTALLEDVERSION!=sh ${.CURDIR}/tools/tools/upgrade/getosreldate.sh
+INSTALLEDNAME!=uname -r
 
 #
 # Upgrade the installed make to the current version using the installed
@@ -165,7 +166,7 @@ ${MAKEOBJDIRPREFIX}/do_aout_installworld :
 	@echo "--------------------------------------------------------------"
 	@/bin/sh -c "read -p \"Return to continue or Ctrl-C to abort: \" _e"
 .endif
-.if	${INSTALLEDVERSION} != "3.0-BETA"
+.if	${INSTALLEDVERSION} < 300003
 	@echo
 	@echo "--------------------------------------------------------------"
 	@echo " Saving a copy of programs required to shut the system down"
@@ -191,10 +192,10 @@ ${MAKEOBJDIRPREFIX}/do_aout_installworld :
 # directory as an obscure name just in case a reboot is required?
 #
 ${MAKEOBJDIRPREFIX}/do_aout_kernel :
-.if	${INSTALLEDVERSION} == "3.0-BETA"
+.if	${INSTALLEDVERSION} >= 300003
 	@echo
 	@echo "--------------------------------------------------------------"
-	@echo " You are already running 3.0-BETA, so a kernel build"
+	@echo " You are already running 3.0, so a kernel build"
 	@echo " is probably not required."
 	@echo "--------------------------------------------------------------"
 .else
@@ -258,7 +259,7 @@ ${MAKEOBJDIRPREFIX}/do_set_objformat	:
 # and reboot.
 #
 ${MAKEOBJDIRPREFIX}/do_install_kernel_reboot	:
-.if	${INSTALLEDVERSION} == "3.0-BETA"
+.if	${INSTALLEDVERSION} >= 300003
 	@echo
 	@echo "--------------------------------------------------------------"
 	@echo " Your system has been updated to run elf by default!"
@@ -272,7 +273,7 @@ ${MAKEOBJDIRPREFIX}/do_install_kernel_reboot	:
 	@echo "--------------------------------------------------------------"
 	@echo " Your system has been updated to run elf by default!"
 	@echo
-	@echo " Since you are running ${INSTALLEDVERSION}, the kernel must"
+	@echo " Since you are running ${INSTALLEDNAME}, the kernel must"
 	@echo " be installed before the system is rebooted. You can type"
 	@echo " Ctrl-C to abort the kernel installation (at your own risk),"
 	@echo " or press return for the kernel to be installed and the"
diff --git a/tools/tools/upgrade/getosreldate.sh b/tools/tools/upgrade/getosreldate.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000000..cb23ef310d12
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/tools/upgrade/getosreldate.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+#! /bin/sh
+# $Id$
+
+RELDATE=`sysctl -n kern.osreldate 2>/dev/null`
+if [ "x$RELDATE" = x ]; then
+  RELDATE=200000	# assume something really old
+fi
+echo $RELDATE