diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index c79fc9ac5ca51..adc799ca23ef0 100755
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -197,10 +197,11 @@
 def write_version_py(filename='pandas/version.py'):
     cnt = """\
 version = '%s'
+short_version = '%s'
 """
     a = open(filename, 'w')
     try:
-        a.write(cnt % FULLVERSION)
+        a.write(cnt % (FULLVERSION, VERSION))
     finally:
         a.close()