diff --git a/.gitreview b/.gitreview
index 19f841cdc0..56859fe88a 100644
--- a/.gitreview
+++ b/.gitreview
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 [gerrit]
 defaultbranch=18
+basebranch=18
 #
 # Intentional padding to ensure it is possible to point a commit
 # to an alternative gerrit server/repository without breaking
diff --git a/build_tools/make_version b/build_tools/make_version
index 83c42d1fba..6ef7b2941d 100755
--- a/build_tools/make_version
+++ b/build_tools/make_version
@@ -100,7 +100,11 @@ elif [ -d ${1}/.git ]; then
     MODIFIED=""
     SVN_REV=`${GIT} log --pretty=full -1 | sed -n '/git-svn-id:/ s/.*\@\([^ ]*\) .*/\1/p'`
     if [ -z "$SVN_REV" ]; then
-        MAINLINE_BRANCH=$(git config -f .gitreview --get gerrit.defaultbranch)
+        MAINLINE_BRANCH=$(${GIT} config -f .gitreview --get gerrit.basebranch)
+        if [ "x${MAINLINE_BRANCH}" == "x" ] ; then
+            MAINLINE_BRANCH=$(${GIT} config -f .gitreview --get gerrit.defaultbranch)
+        fi
+
         VERSION=`${GIT} describe --long --always --tags --dirty=M 2> /dev/null`
         if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
             if [ "`${GIT} ls-files -m | wc -l`" != "0" ]; then