diff --git a/src/Makefile.am b/src/Makefile.am
index 55ca6ec4..5b995756 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ libavrdude_la_SOURCES = \
 	wiring.c \
 	xbee.h \
 	xbee.c
-libavrdude_la_LDFLAGS = -version-info 2:0
+libavrdude_la_LDFLAGS = -version-info @LIBAVRDUDE_VERSION_INFO@
 
 include_HEADERS = libavrdude.h
 include_HEADERS += libavrdude-avrintel.h
diff --git a/src/build-helpers/versioninfo.m4 b/src/build-helpers/versioninfo.m4
index 30e36d6e..1fa441ef 100644
--- a/src/build-helpers/versioninfo.m4
+++ b/src/build-helpers/versioninfo.m4
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ dnl This must be the same sequence as the versioninfo script writes.
 m4_pattern_forbid([versioninfo_items])
 m4_define([versioninfo_items], [
   [CMAKE_PROJECT_VERSION],
+  [CMAKE_LIBAVRDUDE_VERSION],
+  [CMAKE_LIBAVRDUDE_SOVERSION],
   [GIT_COMMIT_DATE],
   [GIT_COMMIT_HASH],
   [GIT_TAG_HASH]
diff --git a/src/build-helpers/versioninfo.sh b/src/build-helpers/versioninfo.sh
index 58ebc9c6..4ca2a95e 100755
--- a/src/build-helpers/versioninfo.sh
+++ b/src/build-helpers/versioninfo.sh
@@ -89,6 +89,36 @@ test -n "$PROJECT_VERSION" || \
     ret_error "Cannot find project(...) in top-level avrdude 'CMakeLists.txt'"
 
 
+# Parse libavrdude library version from CMakeLists.txt
+tmp="$(${AWK-awk} '
+BEGIN                                            { v=0; }
+($1 == "set_target_properties(libavrdude")       { v=1; }
+(v == 1) && /^[[:space:]]+\)/                    { v=0; }
+(v == 1) && /^[[:space:]]+VERSION[[:space:]]+/   { version=$2; }
+(v == 1) && /^[[:space:]]+SOVERSION[[:space:]]+/ { soversion=$2; }
+END                                              { print version;
+                                                   print soversion; }
+' < "$top_srcdir/CMakeLists.txt")"
+
+
+# Extract the libavrdude VERSION
+CMAKE_LIBAVRDUDE_VERSION="$(printf "%s\n" "$tmp" | { \
+  read LIB_VERSION; read LIB_SOVERSION; \
+  printf "%s\n" "$LIB_VERSION"; })"
+
+test -n "$CMAKE_LIBAVRDUDE_VERSION" || \
+    ret_error "Cannot find library VERSION in library 'CMakeLists.txt'"
+
+
+# Extract the libavrdude SOVERSION
+CMAKE_LIBAVRDUDE_SOVERSION="$(printf "%s\n" "$tmp" | { \
+  read LIB_VERSION; read LIB_SOVERSION; \
+  printf "%s\n" "$LIB_SOVERSION"; })"
+
+test -n "$CMAKE_LIBAVRDUDE_SOVERSION" || \
+    ret_error "Cannot find library SOVERSION in library 'CMakeLists.txt'"
+
+
 # If GIT_DIR is set, use it. If not, try "$top_srcdir/../.git".
 test -n "$GIT_DIR" || { \
     GIT_DIR="$top_srcdir/../.git"; \
@@ -106,11 +136,13 @@ if test -d "$GIT_DIR" && ${GIT-git} --version > /dev/null 2>&1; then
 	ret_error "$prog: Cannot run 'git log' for tag hash"
     # This must be the same sequence as versioninfo_items in configure.ac
     ret_ok "${PROJECT_VERSION}" \
+	   "${CMAKE_LIBAVRDUDE_VERSION}" "${CMAKE_LIBAVRDUDE_SOVERSION}" \
 	   "${GIT_COMMIT_DATE}" "${GIT_COMMIT_HASH}" "${GIT_TAG_HASH}"
 else # This is a github release tarball or github snapshot tarball
     # Presume this is a release version, because who would build a
     # non-release version from a snapshot tarball?
-    ret_ok "${PROJECT_VERSION}"
+    ret_ok "${PROJECT_VERSION}" \
+	   "${CMAKE_LIBAVRDUDE_VERSION}" "${CMAKE_LIBAVRDUDE_SOVERSION}"
 fi
 
 
diff --git a/src/configure.ac b/src/configure.ac
index bb340f72..2abf9219 100644
--- a/src/configure.ac
+++ b/src/configure.ac
@@ -92,6 +92,33 @@ AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED([AVRDUDE_FULL_VERSION], ["$AVRDUDE_FULL_VERSION"],
 AC_SUBST([AVRDUDE_FULL_VERSION])
 
 
+# Define libavrdude libtool version from cmake libavrdude information
+dnl
+dnl This is a very simple consistency check. If this check ever fails,
+dnl the library versioning policy and its technical implementation
+dnl must be adapted.
+m4_case(m4_defn([versioninfo_CMAKE_LIBAVRDUDE_SOVERSION])[.0.0],
+        m4_defn([versioninfo_CMAKE_LIBAVRDUDE_VERSION]),
+	[],
+	[m4_fatal([
+The cmake libavrdude VERSION should be SOVERSION.0.0 ("]m4_defn([versioninfo_CMAKE_LIBAVRDUDE_SOVERSION])[.0.0"),
+but it is actually "]m4_defn([versioninfo_CMAKE_LIBAVRDUDE_VERSION])[".
+
+This is an internal error in the logic which transfers library version
+information from the cmake buildsystem to the automake buildsystem.
+
+Please file a GitHub issue for avrdude and mention @ndim.
+	])])dnl
+dnl
+AC_MSG_CHECKING([versioninfo derived libtool -version-info for libavrdude])
+libavrdude_lt_cur=$CMAKE_LIBAVRDUDE_SOVERSION
+libavrdude_lt_rev=0
+libavrdude_lt_age=0
+AC_SUBST([LIBAVRDUDE_VERSION_INFO],
+         [${libavrdude_lt_cur}:${libavrdude_lt_rev}:${libavrdude_lt_age}])
+AC_MSG_RESULT([$LIBAVRDUDE_VERSION_INFO])
+
+
 # Checks for programs.
 AC_PROG_CC
 AC_PROG_INSTALL