diff --git a/scripts/defs.mak.in b/scripts/defs.mak.in
index 6f93575b..20a6eaf1 100755
--- a/scripts/defs.mak.in
+++ b/scripts/defs.mak.in
@@ -75,9 +75,9 @@ LIB_SPECS_NOSTUB       = @LIB_SPECS_NOSTUB@
 LIB_SPECS_GRNULL       = @LIB_SPECS_GRNULL@
 WISH_EXE	       = @WISH_EXE@
 TCL_LIB_DIR	       = @TCL_LIB_DIR@
-MAGIC_VERSION	       = `cat ../VERSION | cut -d. -f1-2`
-MAGIC_REVISION	       = `cat ../VERSION | cut -d. -f3`
-MAGIC_COMMIT	       = `git rev-parse HEAD`
+MAGIC_VERSION	       = $(shell cat ${MAGICDIR}/VERSION | cut -d. -f1-2)
+MAGIC_REVISION	       = $(shell cat ${MAGICDIR}/VERSION | cut -d. -f3)
+MAGIC_COMMIT	       = $(shell git rev-parse HEAD)
 
 CC                     = @CC@
 CPP                    = @CPP@