diff --git a/sys/windows/vs/NetHackProperties.props b/sys/windows/vs/NetHackProperties.props
index d1397c3b6..0e5f10889 100644
--- a/sys/windows/vs/NetHackProperties.props
+++ b/sys/windows/vs/NetHackProperties.props
@@ -5,9 +5,10 @@
     <VERSION_MAJOR>3</VERSION_MAJOR>
     <VERSION_MINOR>7</VERSION_MINOR>
     <PATCHLEVEL>0</PATCHLEVEL>
-	<LUA_MAJOR_VERSION>5</LUA_MAJOR_VERSION>
-	<LUA_MINOR_VERSION>4</LUA_MINOR_VERSION>
-	<LUA_PATCH_LEVEL>6></LUA_PATCH_LEVEL>
+    <NETHACK_VERSION>$(VERSION_MAJOR).$(VERSION_MINOR).$(PATCHLEVEL)</NETHACK_VERSION>
+    <LUA_MAJOR_VERSION>5</LUA_MAJOR_VERSION>
+    <LUA_MINOR_VERSION>4</LUA_MINOR_VERSION>
+    <LUA_PATCH_LEVEL>6></LUA_PATCH_LEVEL>
     <LUA_VERSION>$(LUA_MAJOR_VERSION).$(LUA_MINOR_VERSION).$(LUA_PATCH_LEVEL)</LUA_VERSION>
     <FMODROOT>$(ROOTDIR)lib\fmod\api\core\</FMODROOT>
 	  <FMODLIBBASENAME>fmod_vc.lib</FMODLIBBASENAME>
diff --git a/sys/windows/vs/package/package.nmake b/sys/windows/vs/package/package.nmake
index cfd363516..fb7f127f6 100644
--- a/sys/windows/vs/package/package.nmake
+++ b/sys/windows/vs/package/package.nmake
@@ -2,7 +2,13 @@
 #==============================================================================
 #
 #  The version of the game this Makefile was designed for
+
+!IFNDEF NETHACK_VERSION
 NETHACK_VERSION="3.7.0"
+!MESSAGE NETHACK_VERSION set to $(NETHACK_VERSION).
+!ELSE
+!MESSAGE NETHACK_VERSION set to $(NETHACK_VERSION) by caller.
+!ENDIF
 
 # A brief variation for use in macros
 NHV=$(NETHACK_VERSION:.=)
diff --git a/sys/windows/vs/package/package.vcxproj b/sys/windows/vs/package/package.vcxproj
index 3d884fa51..7b09e9277 100644
--- a/sys/windows/vs/package/package.vcxproj
+++ b/sys/windows/vs/package/package.vcxproj
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
   </ItemGroup>
   <Import Project="..\config.props" />
   <Import Project="..\dirs.props" />
+  <Import Project="..\NetHackProperties.props" />
   <PropertyGroup Label="Globals">
     <VCProjectVersion>17.0</VCProjectVersion>
     <ProjectGuid>{0B53AF9B-E1A4-478B-9246-43A39E8B4027}</ProjectGuid>
@@ -53,7 +54,7 @@
   </ImportGroup>
   <PropertyGroup Label="UserMacros" />
   <PropertyGroup>
-	<NMakeBuildCommandLine>pushd $(vsDir)package %26%26 nmake -F package.nmake BinDir=&quot;$(BinDir)\&quot; Platform=&quot;$(Platform)&quot; PlatformShortName=&quot;$(PlatformShortName)&quot; Configuration=&quot;$(Configuration)&quot; %26%26 popd</NMakeBuildCommandLine>
+	<NMakeBuildCommandLine>pushd $(vsDir)package %26%26 nmake -F package.nmake BinDir=&quot;$(BinDir)\&quot; Platform=&quot;$(Platform)&quot; PlatformShortName=&quot;$(PlatformShortName)&quot; Configuration=&quot;$(Configuration)&quot; NETHACK_VERSION=&quot;$(NETHACK_VERSION)&quot; %26%26 popd</NMakeBuildCommandLine>
 	<NMakeCleanCommandLine>pushd $(vsDir)package %26%26 nmake -F package.nmake clean %26%26 popd</NMakeCleanCommandLine>
 	<NMakeReBuildCommandLine>pushd $(vsDir)package %26%26 nmake -F package.nmake rebuild %26%26 popd</NMakeReBuildCommandLine>
   </PropertyGroup>