diff --git a/sys/conf/newvers.sh b/sys/conf/newvers.sh
--- a/sys/conf/newvers.sh
+++ b/sys/conf/newvers.sh
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@
 		v=$OPTARG
 		eval val=\$${v}
 		echo ${v}=\"${val}\"
-		VARS_ONLY=1
+		VARS_ONLY_EXIT=1
 		;;
 	esac
 done
@@ -137,6 +137,10 @@
 # included.
 [ -n "$VARS_ONLY" ] && return 0
 
+# VARS_ONLY_EXIT means no files should be generated, only the value of
+# variables are being output.
+[ -n "$VARS_ONLY_EXIT" ] && exit 0
+
 #
 # findvcs dir
 #	Looks up directory dir at world root and up the filesystem