diff --git a/src/include/Makefile.Host b/src/include/Makefile.Host
index fa13a39f9..695f999d4 100644
--- a/src/include/Makefile.Host
+++ b/src/include/Makefile.Host
@@ -21,6 +21,6 @@ include $(TOP)/config/RULES.Host
 #	epicsVersion.h is rebuild in any case,
 #	no matter what date ...CONFIG_BASE_VERSION has
 epicsVersion.h: $(TOP)/config/CONFIG_BASE_VERSION
-	perl ../makeEpicsVersion.pl $(TOP)/config/CONFIG_BASE_VERSION
+	$(PERL) ../makeEpicsVersion.pl $(TOP)/config/CONFIG_BASE_VERSION