diff --git a/src/scm/build-config.scm.in b/src/scm/build-config.scm.in
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0f8cb5ce9c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/scm/build-config.scm.in
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+
+(define gnc:version "@-VERSION-@")
+
+;; Automatically generated defaults (don't use these directly --
+;; they're used during actual initialization elsewhere)
+(define gnc:_install-config-dir_ "@-GNC_CONFIGDIR-@")
+(define gnc:_install-share-dir_ "@-GNC_SHAREDIR-@")
+(define gnc:_install-help-dir_ "@-GNC_HELPDIR-@")