diff --git a/src/eval.c b/src/eval.c
index c86d0a6..e2d3d48 100644
--- a/src/eval.c
+++ b/src/eval.c
@@ -193,9 +193,10 @@
     {VV_NAME("termrfgresp",	 VAR_STRING), VV_RO},
     {VV_NAME("termrbgresp",	 VAR_STRING), VV_RO},
     {VV_NAME("termu7resp",	 VAR_STRING), VV_RO},
-    {VV_NAME("termstyleresp",	VAR_STRING), VV_RO},
-    {VV_NAME("termblinkresp",	VAR_STRING), VV_RO},
-    {VV_NAME("event",		VAR_DICT), VV_RO},
+    {VV_NAME("termstyleresp",	 VAR_STRING), VV_RO},
+    {VV_NAME("termblinkresp",	 VAR_STRING), VV_RO},
+    {VV_NAME("event",		 VAR_DICT), VV_RO},
+    {VV_NAME("versionlong",	 VAR_NUMBER), VV_RO},
 };
 
 /* shorthand */
@@ -354,6 +355,7 @@
 	    hash_add(&compat_hashtab, p->vv_di.di_key);
     }
     vimvars[VV_VERSION].vv_nr = VIM_VERSION_100;
+    vimvars[VV_VERSIONLONG].vv_nr = VIM_VERSION_100 * 10000 + highest_patch();
 
     set_vim_var_nr(VV_SEARCHFORWARD, 1L);
     set_vim_var_nr(VV_HLSEARCH, 1L);
diff --git a/src/testdir/test_eval_stuff.vim b/src/testdir/test_eval_stuff.vim
index db68e2a..08ab59e 100644
--- a/src/testdir/test_eval_stuff.vim
+++ b/src/testdir/test_eval_stuff.vim
@@ -171,6 +171,9 @@
   echo version
   call assert_fails('let version = 1', 'E46:')
   call assert_equal(v:version, version)
+
+  call assert_equal(v:version, v:versionlong / 10000)
+  call assert_true(v:versionlong > 8011525)
 endfunc
 
 func Test_scriptversion()
diff --git a/src/version.c b/src/version.c
index 058dbc7..8a9885c 100644
--- a/src/version.c
+++ b/src/version.c
@@ -778,6 +778,8 @@
 static int included_patches[] =
 {   /* Add new patch number below this line */
 /**/
+    1526,
+/**/
     1525,
 /**/
     1524,
@@ -3847,13 +3849,8 @@
     int
 highest_patch(void)
 {
-    int		i;
-    int		h = 0;
-
-    for (i = 0; included_patches[i] != 0; ++i)
-	if (included_patches[i] > h)
-	    h = included_patches[i];
-    return h;
+    // this relies on the highest patch number to be the first entry
+    return included_patches[0];
 }
 
 #if defined(FEAT_EVAL) || defined(PROTO)
diff --git a/src/vim.h b/src/vim.h
index 3b4582b..90208cd 100644
--- a/src/vim.h
+++ b/src/vim.h
@@ -1960,7 +1960,8 @@
 #define VV_TERMSTYLERESP 85
 #define VV_TERMBLINKRESP 86
 #define VV_EVENT	87
-#define VV_LEN		88	/* number of v: vars */
+#define VV_VERSIONLONG	88
+#define VV_LEN		89	// number of v: vars
 
 /* used for v_number in VAR_SPECIAL */
 #define VVAL_FALSE	0L