diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index f5d1bbeae..198c501ef 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -1566,6 +1566,7 @@ AC_CONFIG_FILES([test-suite/standalone/test-use-srfi],
                 [chmod +x test-suite/standalone/test-use-srfi])
 AC_CONFIG_FILES([test-suite/standalone/test-fast-slot-ref],
                 [chmod +x test-suite/standalone/test-fast-slot-ref])
+AC_CONFIG_FILES([doc/ref/effective-version.texi])
 
 AC_OUTPUT
 
diff --git a/doc/ref/Makefile.am b/doc/ref/Makefile.am
index 276dd8e54..d771c2881 100644
--- a/doc/ref/Makefile.am
+++ b/doc/ref/Makefile.am
@@ -80,7 +80,8 @@ guile_TEXINFOS = preface.texi			\
 		 api-init.texi			\
 		 mod-getopt-long.texi		\
 		 goops.texi			\
-		 goops-tutorial.texi
+		 goops-tutorial.texi		\
+		 effective-version.texi
 
 ETAGS_ARGS = $(info_TEXINFOS) $(guile_TEXINFOS)
 
diff --git a/doc/ref/autoconf.texi b/doc/ref/autoconf.texi
index 83686dada..1cee3eab4 100644
--- a/doc/ref/autoconf.texi
+++ b/doc/ref/autoconf.texi
@@ -59,8 +59,8 @@ The following command lines give respectively the C compilation and link
 flags needed to build Guile-using programs:
 
 @example
-pkg-config guile-1.8 --cflags
-pkg-config guile-1.8 --libs
+pkg-config guile-@value{EFFECTIVE-VERSION} --cflags
+pkg-config guile-@value{EFFECTIVE-VERSION} --libs
 @end example
 
 To ease use of pkg-config with Autoconf, pkg-config comes with a
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ accordingly, or prints an error and exits if Guile was not found:
 @findex PKG_CHECK_MODULES
 
 @example
-PKG_CHECK_MODULES([GUILE], [guile-1.8])
+PKG_CHECK_MODULES([GUILE], [guile-@value{EFFECTIVE-VERSION}])
 @end example
 
 Guile comes with additional Autoconf macros providing more information,
diff --git a/doc/ref/effective-version.texi.in b/doc/ref/effective-version.texi.in
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..80b56b751
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/ref/effective-version.texi.in
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+@set EFFECTIVE-VERSION @GUILE_EFFECTIVE_VERSION@
diff --git a/doc/ref/guile.texi b/doc/ref/guile.texi
index 7bd5ace36..332be361b 100644
--- a/doc/ref/guile.texi
+++ b/doc/ref/guile.texi
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 @c %**end of header
 @include version.texi
 @include lib-version.texi
+@include effective-version.texi
 
 @copying
 This manual documents Guile version @value{VERSION}.
diff --git a/doc/ref/slib.texi b/doc/ref/slib.texi
index fc8f91933..27974958a 100644
--- a/doc/ref/slib.texi
+++ b/doc/ref/slib.texi
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ Alternatively, you can create a symlink in the Guile directory to SLIB,
 e.g.:
 
 @example
-ln -s /usr/local/lib/slib /usr/local/share/guile/1.8/slib
+ln -s /usr/local/lib/slib /usr/local/share/guile/@value{EFFECTIVE-VERSION}/slib
 @end example
 
 @item
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ guile> (quit)
 @end example
 
 The catalog data should now be in
-@file{/usr/local/share/guile/1.8/slibcat}.
+@file{/usr/local/share/guile/@value{EFFECTIVE-VERSION}/slibcat}.
 
 If instead you get an error such as: