diff --git a/debian/rules b/debian/rules
index 40871e4..60eb660 100755
--- a/debian/rules
+++ b/debian/rules
@@ -304,8 +304,8 @@ COMMA = ,
 
 DEB_SVERSION	:= $(shell echo $(DEB_VERSION) | sed 's/+b[0-9][0-9]*$$//')
 
-VERSION		:= $(shell sed -n 's/^ *VERSION=\(.*\)/\1/p' bfd/configure | head -1 | tr -d \')
-DATE		:= $(shell sed -n 's/.* \([0-9]*\)$$/\1/p' bfd/version.h)
+VERSION = $(shell sed -n 's/^ *VERSION=\(.*\)/\1/p' bfd/configure | head -1 | tr -d \')
+DATE = $(shell sed -n 's/.* \([0-9]*\)$$/\1/p' bfd/version.h)
 ifneq (,$(DATE))
 #  DATE_EXT	:= .$(DATE)
 endif
@@ -328,10 +328,6 @@ endif
 is_rc = yes
 is_rc =
 
-ifneq ($(DEB_VERSION_UPSTREAM),$(VERSION)$(DATE_EXT))
-  $(error upstream ($(VERSION)$(DATE_EXT)) and debian ($(DEB_VERSION_UPSTREAM)) version mismatch)
-endif
-
 SINGLE_VERSION= -system
 MULTI_VERSION = -multiarch
 HPPA64_VERSION= -hppa64