MakeMaker does not require version.pm, but it will use it if available. No released version of version.pm has the bug above, though some unreleased version might. Are you using a development version of perl or perhaps some horrible hacked Redhat derivative? PS The MakeMaker bug tracker is not Perlmonks but here: http://rt.cpan.org/NoAuth/Bugs.html?Dist=ExtUtils-MakeMaker bitching on Perlmonks will not get things fixed.