diff --git a/opal/runtime/opal.h b/opal/runtime/opal.h
index af63f588ef..7b45432f13 100644
--- a/opal/runtime/opal.h
+++ b/opal/runtime/opal.h
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
  *                         University of Stuttgart.  All rights reserved.
  * Copyright (c) 2004-2005 The Regents of the University of California.
  *                         All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2008	   Sun Microsystems, Inc.  All rights reserved.
  * $COPYRIGHT$
  * 
  * Additional copyrights may follow
@@ -27,6 +28,9 @@
 extern "C" {
 #endif
 
+/** version string of opal */
+OPAL_DECLSPEC extern const char opal_version_string[];
+
 /**
  * Initialize the OPAL layer, including the MCA system.
  *
diff --git a/opal/runtime/opal_init.c b/opal/runtime/opal_init.c
index 49a81e66d9..4d1666e8dc 100644
--- a/opal/runtime/opal_init.c
+++ b/opal/runtime/opal_init.c
@@ -57,9 +57,8 @@
 #pragma ident OPAL_IDENT_STRING
 #elif OMPI_CC_USE_IDENT
 #ident OPAL_IDENT_STRING
-#else
-static const char ident[] = OPAL_IDENT_STRING;
 #endif
+const char opal_version_string[] = OPAL_IDENT_STRING;
 
 int opal_initialized = 0;
 int opal_util_initialized = 0;
diff --git a/orte/runtime/orte_init.c b/orte/runtime/orte_init.c
index 53dae47686..a73f9e0e8b 100644
--- a/orte/runtime/orte_init.c
+++ b/orte/runtime/orte_init.c
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
  * Copyright (c) 2006      Los Alamos National Security, LLC.  All rights
  *                         reserved. 
  * Copyright (c) 2007      Cisco Systems, Inc.  All rights reserved.
- * Copyright (c) 2007      Sun Microsystems, Inc.  All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2007-2008 Sun Microsystems, Inc.  All rights reserved.
  *
  * $COPYRIGHT$
  *
@@ -51,9 +51,8 @@
 #pragma ident ORTE_IDENT_STRING
 #elif OMPI_CC_USE_IDENT
 #ident ORTE_IDENT_STRING
-#else
-static const char ident[] = ORTE_IDENT_STRING;
 #endif
+const char orte_version_string[] = ORTE_IDENT_STRING;
 
 int orte_init(char flags)
 {
diff --git a/orte/runtime/runtime.h b/orte/runtime/runtime.h
index 4465e88f3a..fb098ba41a 100644
--- a/orte/runtime/runtime.h
+++ b/orte/runtime/runtime.h
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
  *                         University of Stuttgart.  All rights reserved.
  * Copyright (c) 2004-2005 The Regents of the University of California.
  *                         All rights reserved.
- * Copyright (c) 2007      Sun Microsystems, Inc.  All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2007-2008 Sun Microsystems, Inc.  All rights reserved.
  * $COPYRIGHT$
  * 
  * Additional copyrights may follow
@@ -38,6 +38,9 @@
 
 BEGIN_C_DECLS
 
+/** version string of ompi */
+ORTE_DECLSPEC extern const char orte_version_string[];
+
 /* some convenience definitions for code clarity */
 #define ORTE_NON_TOOL           0x00
 #define ORTE_TOOL               0x01