diff --git a/usr.sbin/config/config.h b/usr.sbin/config/config.h
index ec199862ae76..4abb567e984b 100644
--- a/usr.sbin/config/config.h
+++ b/usr.sbin/config/config.h
@@ -179,6 +179,7 @@ void	makehints(void);
 void	headers(void);
 void	cfgfile_add(const char *);
 void	cfgfile_removeall(void);
+FILE	*open_makefile_template(void);
 
 extern STAILQ_HEAD(device_head, device) dtab;
 
diff --git a/usr.sbin/config/main.c b/usr.sbin/config/main.c
index 2b5e055130b2..5cffed2c641a 100644
--- a/usr.sbin/config/main.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/config/main.c
@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@ static void get_srcdir(void);
 static void usage(void);
 static void cleanheaders(char *);
 static void kernconfdump(const char *);
+static void checkversion(void);
 
 struct hdr_list {
 	char *h_name;
@@ -204,6 +205,7 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 		printf("cpu type must be specified\n");
 		exit(1);
 	}
+	checkversion();
 
 	/*
 	 * make symbolic links in compilation directory
@@ -721,3 +723,41 @@ kernconfdump(const char *file)
 	}
 	fclose(fp);
 }
+
+static void 
+badversion(int versreq)
+{
+	fprintf(stderr, "ERROR: version of config(8) does not match kernel!\n");
+	fprintf(stderr, "config version = %d, ", CONFIGVERS);
+	fprintf(stderr, "version required = %d\n\n", versreq);
+	fprintf(stderr, "Make sure that /usr/src/usr.sbin/config is in sync\n");
+	fprintf(stderr, "with your /usr/src/sys and install a new config binary\n");
+	fprintf(stderr, "before trying this again.\n\n");
+	fprintf(stderr, "If running the new config fails check your config\n");
+	fprintf(stderr, "file against the GENERIC or LINT config files for\n");
+	fprintf(stderr, "changes in config syntax, or option/device naming\n");
+	fprintf(stderr, "conventions\n\n");
+	exit(1);
+}
+
+static void
+checkversion(void)
+{
+	FILE *ifp;
+	char line[BUFSIZ];
+	int versreq;
+
+	ifp = open_makefile_template();
+	while (fgets(line, BUFSIZ, ifp) != 0) {
+		if (*line != '%')
+			continue;
+		if (strncmp(line, "%VERSREQ=", 9) != 0)
+			continue;
+		versreq = atoi(line + 9);
+		if (MAJOR_VERS(versreq) == MAJOR_VERS(CONFIGVERS) &&
+		    versreq <= CONFIGVERS)
+			continue;
+		badversion(versreq);
+	}
+	fclose(ifp);
+}
diff --git a/usr.sbin/config/mkmakefile.c b/usr.sbin/config/mkmakefile.c
index f0d37faadc8a..844364ca05f2 100644
--- a/usr.sbin/config/mkmakefile.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/config/mkmakefile.c
@@ -105,17 +105,14 @@ new_fent(void)
 }
 
 /*
- * Build the makefile from the skeleton
+ * Open the correct Makefile and return it, or error out.
  */
-void
-makefile(void)
+FILE *
+open_makefile_template(void)
 {
-	FILE *ifp, *ofp;
+	FILE *ifp;
 	char line[BUFSIZ];
-	struct opt *op, *t;
-	int versreq;
 
-	read_files();
 	snprintf(line, sizeof(line), "../../conf/Makefile.%s", machinename);
 	ifp = fopen(line, "r");
 	if (ifp == 0) {
@@ -124,7 +121,21 @@ makefile(void)
 	}
 	if (ifp == 0)
 		err(1, "%s", line);
+	return (ifp);
+}
 
+/*
+ * Build the makefile from the skeleton
+ */
+void
+makefile(void)
+{
+	FILE *ifp, *ofp;
+	char line[BUFSIZ];
+	struct opt *op, *t;
+
+	read_files();
+	ifp = open_makefile_template();
 	ofp = fopen(path("Makefile.new"), "w");
 	if (ofp == 0)
 		err(1, "%s", path("Makefile.new"));
@@ -156,23 +167,9 @@ makefile(void)
 			do_rules(ofp);
 		else if (eq(line, "%CLEAN\n"))
 			do_clean(ofp);
-		else if (strncmp(line, "%VERSREQ=", sizeof("%VERSREQ=") - 1) == 0) {
-			versreq = atoi(line + sizeof("%VERSREQ=") - 1);
-			if (MAJOR_VERS(versreq) != MAJOR_VERS(CONFIGVERS) ||
-			    versreq > CONFIGVERS) {
-				fprintf(stderr, "ERROR: version of config(8) does not match kernel!\n");
-				fprintf(stderr, "config version = %d, ", CONFIGVERS);
-				fprintf(stderr, "version required = %d\n\n", versreq);
-				fprintf(stderr, "Make sure that /usr/src/usr.sbin/config is in sync\n");
-				fprintf(stderr, "with your /usr/src/sys and install a new config binary\n");
-				fprintf(stderr, "before trying this again.\n\n");
-				fprintf(stderr, "If running the new config fails check your config\n");
-				fprintf(stderr, "file against the GENERIC or LINT config files for\n");
-				fprintf(stderr, "changes in config syntax, or option/device naming\n");
-				fprintf(stderr, "conventions\n\n");
-				exit(1);
-			}
-		} else
+		else if (strncmp(line, "%VERSREQ=", 9) == 0)
+			line[0] = '\0'; /* handled elsewhere */
+		else
 			fprintf(stderr,
 			    "Unknown %% construct in generic makefile: %s",
 			    line);