diff --git a/make/swig.mk b/make/swig.mk
index 310d1023..5e98f8af 100644
--- a/make/swig.mk
+++ b/make/swig.mk
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ ifeq ($(SWIG_TARGET),php)
   PHP_MAJOR                  := $(shell php-config --version | cut -d. -f1)
   PHP                        ?= php$(PHP_MAJOR)
   #PHP                        ?= $(firstword $(notdir $(wildcard /usr/share/php*)))
-  SWIG_OPTS                   ?= -$(PHP)
+  SWIG_OPTS                   ?= -$(PHP) -DJW_PHP_MAJOR=$(PHP_MAJOR)
   SWIG_MODULE_TARGET_DIR      = $(ENV_PREFIX)/usr/share/$(PHP)
 
   #SWIG_PHP_INCLUDE_DIR        = /usr/include/$(PHP)