diff --git a/R/DESCRIPTION.in b/R/DESCRIPTION.in
index 0cb10a74..b1f87bb9 100644
--- a/R/DESCRIPTION.in
+++ b/R/DESCRIPTION.in
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 Package: phreeqc
-Version: 1.0-@REVISION_SVN@
-Title: R interface to Geochemical Modeling Software
+Version: @VERSION@
+Title: R Interface to Geochemical Modeling Software
 License: GPL-3 + file LICENSE
 NeedsCompilation: yes
 Depends:
diff --git a/R/Makefile b/R/Makefile
index ad837fef..d0ada59a 100644
--- a/R/Makefile
+++ b/R/Makefile
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ MAN=phreeqc/man
 SVN_URL := http://internalbrr.cr.usgs.gov/svn_GW
 RELEASE ?= $(shell svn info $(SVN_URL) | egrep "Revision:" | cut -b 10- | ( read one two ; echo $$one ) )
 RELEASE_DATE ?= $(shell date "+%Y-%m-%d")
+VERSION ?= 1.0
 
 DBS = \
 	Amm.ascii \
@@ -785,10 +786,10 @@ phreeqc/DESCRIPTION : export_sed
 
 export_sed :
 	sed \
-	 -e 's/@REVISION_SVN@/$(RELEASE)/g' \
+	 -e 's/@VERSION@/$(VERSION)/g' \
 	< DESCRIPTION.in > $(TOPDIR)/DESCRIPTION
 	sed \
-	 -e 's/@REVISION_SVN@/$(RELEASE)/g' \
+	 -e 's/@VERSION@/$(VERSION)/g' \
 	 -e 's/@RELEASE_DATE@/$(RELEASE_DATE)/g' \
 	< phreeqc.R.in > $(TOPDIR)/R/phreeqc.R
 
diff --git a/R/phreeqc.R.in b/R/phreeqc.R.in
index 8fca8837..772e630e 100644
--- a/R/phreeqc.R.in
+++ b/R/phreeqc.R.in
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 ##' including speciation, batch-reaction, one-dimensional 
 ##' reactive-transport, and inverse geochemical calculations.    
 ##' 
-##' \tabular{ll}{Package: \tab phreeqc\cr Type: \tab Package\cr Version: \tab 1.0-@REVISION_SVN@\cr Date: \tab @RELEASE_DATE@\cr License: \tab BSD_3_clause + file LICENSE\cr}
+##' \tabular{ll}{Package: \tab phreeqc\cr Type: \tab Package\cr Version: \tab @VERSION@\cr Date: \tab @RELEASE_DATE@\cr License: \tab BSD_3_clause + file LICENSE\cr}
 ##' 
 ##' @name phreeqc-package
 ##' @aliases phreeqc-package phreeqc