diff --git a/asdf.lisp b/asdf.lisp
index 823f7f34b76a85ea63465e9b7d6befb4a1afd371..83ad94c4df4835a0a71df6e6b0212c85abcf8527 100644
--- a/asdf.lisp
+++ b/asdf.lisp
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@
 
 (eval-when (:load-toplevel :compile-toplevel :execute)
   (let* ((asdf-version ;; the 1+ helps the version bumping script discriminate
-          (subseq "VERSION:2.105" (1+ (length "VERSION"))))
+          (subseq "VERSION:2.003" (1+ (length "VERSION")))) ; NB: same as 2.105.
          (existing-asdf (find-package :asdf))
          (vername '#:*asdf-version*)
          (versym (and existing-asdf