diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 77e0527fc..392fac7f4 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -240,6 +240,12 @@ if(UNIT_TEST)
   endif()
 endif()
 
+# create the .deb and .rpm packages using cpack
+include ( CM_linux_packages.cmake )
+
+set_target_properties(${ly_lib_shared} PROPERTIES
+  VERSION ${YUV_VERSION} SOVERSION ${YUV_VER_MAJOR}
+)
 
 # install the conversion tool, .so, .a, and all the header files
 install ( TARGETS yuvconvert DESTINATION bin )
@@ -247,6 +253,3 @@ install ( TARGETS ${ly_lib_static}						DESTINATION lib )
 install ( TARGETS ${ly_lib_shared} LIBRARY DESTINATION lib RUNTIME DESTINATION bin ARCHIVE DESTINATION lib )
 install ( DIRECTORY ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/include/		DESTINATION include )
 
-# create the .deb and .rpm packages using cpack
-include ( CM_linux_packages.cmake )
-
diff --git a/include/libyuv/version.h b/include/libyuv/version.h
index 9f9d18da7..a10f395b3 100644
--- a/include/libyuv/version.h
+++ b/include/libyuv/version.h
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@
 #ifndef INCLUDE_LIBYUV_VERSION_H_
 #define INCLUDE_LIBYUV_VERSION_H_
 
+// Whenever a breaking change happens in the libyuv's ABI
+// YUV_VER_MAJOR has to be updated in the CM_linux_packages.cmake
 #define LIBYUV_VERSION 1948
 
 #endif  // INCLUDE_LIBYUV_VERSION_H_