diff --git a/winsup/w32api/ChangeLog b/winsup/w32api/ChangeLog
index fccc4a3c6..5ed162475 100644
--- a/winsup/w32api/ChangeLog
+++ b/winsup/w32api/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,21 @@
+2012-01-15  Keith Marshall  <keithmarshall@users.sf.net>
+
+	Derive package release index from configure time specification.
+
+	* configure.ac (PACKAGE_RELEASE): New variable; define it, such that
+	AC_SUBST will propagate it to generated makefiles; initialise from...
+	(RELEASE): ...this configure time variable; make it precious.
+
+	* Makefile.in (CYGRELEASE): Reassign its value, to match...
+	(RELEASE): ...this; assign AC_SUBST propagated PACKAGE_RELEASE value.
+	(PACKAGE): Assign AC_SUBST propagated PACKAGE_TARNAME value.
+	(VERSION): Assign AC_SUBST propagated PACKAGE_VERSION value.
+	(CC, CFLAGS, AS, LD, AR, RANLIB): Unreferenced macros; delete them.
+	(CC_FOR_TARGET, AS_FOR_TARGET, DLLTOOL, WINDRES): Likewise.
+	(prefix, exec_prefix, datadir, infodir, includedir): Likewise.
+	(bindir, libdir, tooldir, program_transform_name): Likewise.
+	(build_alias, host_alias): Likewise.
+
 2012-01-14  Keith Marshall  <keithmarshall@users.sf.net>
 
 	Discontinue CVS tracking of generated 'configure' script.
@@ -63,6 +81,8 @@
 
 2011-12-13  Keith Marshall  <keithmarshall@users.sf.net>
 
+	Factor common makefile code into single include file.
+
 	* configure.ac (AC_CONFIG_FILES): Add Makefile.comm
 	(AC_PROG_MKDIR_P): Add, to AC_SUBST result for mkinstalldirs.
 
@@ -82,6 +102,8 @@
 
 2011-12-13  Keith Marshall  <keithmarshall@users.sf.net>
 
+	Prepare for makefile code refactoring.
+
 	* lib/ddk/Makefile.in (ddk_includedir): New macro; define it, then use
 	it in install-headers and uninstall-headers rules, in place of...
 	(inst_includedir): ...this; we then redefine this for consistency with
diff --git a/winsup/w32api/Makefile.in b/winsup/w32api/Makefile.in
index 6a811f6df..68b57a083 100644
--- a/winsup/w32api/Makefile.in
+++ b/winsup/w32api/Makefile.in
@@ -4,60 +4,31 @@
 # Makefile.in
 #
 # This file is part of a free library for the Win32 API.
-# 
+
+PACKAGE = @PACKAGE_TARNAME@
+VERSION = @PACKAGE_VERSION@
+RELEASE = @PACKAGE_RELEASE@
+
 # This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
 # but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
 # MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
 
-# start config section
-
 SHELL = @SHELL@
 
 srcdir = @srcdir@
 VPATH = @srcdir@
 
-build_alias = @build@
-host_alias = @host@
 target_alias = @target@
-prefix = @prefix@
 conf_prefix = @prefix@
 # FIXME: this needs an appropriate AC_SUBST
 host_os = mingw32
 
-program_transform_name = @program_transform_name@
-exec_prefix = @exec_prefix@
-bindir = @bindir@
-libdir = @libdir@
-tooldir = $(exec_prefix)/$(target_alias)
-datadir = @datadir@
-infodir = @infodir@
-includedir = @includedir@
-
-CC = @CC@
-CC_FOR_TARGET = $(CC)
-CFLAGS = @CFLAGS@
-
-DLLTOOL = @DLLTOOL@
-AS = @AS@
-AS_FOR_TARGET = $(AS_FOR_TARGET)
-WINDRES = @WINDRES@
-
-RANLIB = @RANLIB@
-AR = @AR@
-LD = @LD@
-
 TAR = tar
 TARFLAGS = --lzma -
 TARFILEEXT = .tar.lzma
 
-# end config section
-
 SUBDIRS = lib
 
-PACKAGE = w32api
-VERSION = 3.17
-CYGRELEASE = 2
-
 DISTFILES = \
   ChangeLog configure.ac Makefile.in Makefile.comm.in configure \
   config.guess config.sub install-sh README.w32api TODO CONTRIBUTIONS
@@ -83,6 +54,7 @@ install uninstall:
 ifdef SNAPDATE
     distdir = $(PACKAGE)-$(VERSION)-$(SNAPDATE)-$(host_os)
 else
+   CYGRELEASE = $(RELEASE)
    ifneq (,$(findstring cygwin, $(target_alias)))
       distdir=$(PACKAGE)-$(VERSION)-$(CYGRELEASE)
    else
@@ -142,18 +114,24 @@ Makefile: Makefile.in config.status configure
 
 mostlyclean-top:
 	rm -f *~
+
 clean-top: mostlyclean-top
 	rm -rf $(distdir)
 	rm -f $(distdir)*$(TARFILEEXT)
 maintainer-clean-top:
 
 mostlyclean: mostlyclean-top mostlyclean-subdirs
+
 clean: mostlyclean-top clean-subdirs
+
 distclean: clean-top
 	$(MAKE) -C lib/directx distclean
 	$(MAKE) -C lib/ddk distclean
 	$(MAKE) -C lib distclean
 	rm -f Makefile config.status config.log config.cache TAGS *~
+
 maintainer-clean: maintainer-clean-subdirs
 
 .PHONY: lib test 
+
+# Makefile.in: end of file
diff --git a/winsup/w32api/configure.ac b/winsup/w32api/configure.ac
index d447e5877..e16a2ffba 100644
--- a/winsup/w32api/configure.ac
+++ b/winsup/w32api/configure.ac
@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@ AC_DEFUN([MINGW_AC_CONFIG_SRCDIR],
 AC_INIT([MS-Windows API],[__ver__],[http://mingw.org/reporting_bugs],[w32api])
 MINGW_AC_CONFIG_SRCDIR([__W32API_VERSION],[include/w32api.h])
 
+AC_ARG_VAR([RELEASE],[release serial number for current package version])
+AC_SUBST([PACKAGE_RELEASE],[${RELEASE-"1"}])
+
 AC_CANONICAL_SYSTEM
 
 # Identify commands which are to be used for installation.