diff --git a/usr.sbin/tcpdump/tcpdump/Makefile b/usr.sbin/tcpdump/tcpdump/Makefile
--- a/usr.sbin/tcpdump/tcpdump/Makefile
+++ b/usr.sbin/tcpdump/tcpdump/Makefile
@@ -186,9 +186,9 @@
 	print-unsupported.c \
 	print-vsock.c \
 	print-whois.c \
-	print-zep.c \
-	version.c
-CLEANFILES+=	version.c ${MAN}
+	print-zep.c
+
+CLEANFILES+=	${MAN}
 
 CFLAGS+= -I${.CURDIR} -I${TCPDUMP_DISTDIR}
 CFLAGS+= -DHAVE_CONFIG_H
@@ -217,11 +217,6 @@
 CFLAGS+= -DHAVE_NET_PFVAR_H -DHAVE_NET_IF_PFLOG_H
 .endif
 
-version.c: ${TCPDUMP_DISTDIR}/VERSION
-	rm -f version.c ; \
-	    sed 's/.*/char version[] = "&";/' ${TCPDUMP_DISTDIR}/VERSION \
-		> version.c
-
 .include <bsd.prog.mk>
 
 .for mp in ${MAN}