diff --git a/core/internal/perl/version.pm b/core/internal/perl/version.pm
index 405eb107..4761e520 100644
--- a/core/internal/perl/version.pm
+++ b/core/internal/perl/version.pm
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ use strict;
 
 use vars qw(@ISA $VERSION $CLASS $STRICT $LAX *declare *qv);
 
-$VERSION = 0.82;
+$VERSION = 0.99;
 
 $CLASS = 'version';
 
@@ -114,6 +114,46 @@ $LAX =
 
 #--------------------------------------------------------------------------#
 
+{
+    local $SIG{'__DIE__'};
+    eval "use version::vxs $VERSION";
+    if ( $@ ) { # don't have the XS version installed
+	eval "use version::vpp $VERSION"; # don't tempt fate
+	die "$@" if ( $@ );
+	push @ISA, "version::vpp";
+	local $^W;
+	*version::qv = \&version::vpp::qv;
+	*version::declare = \&version::vpp::declare;
+	*version::_VERSION = \&version::vpp::_VERSION;
+	*version::vcmp = \&version::vpp::vcmp;
+	if ($] >= 5.009000) {
+	    no strict 'refs';
+	    *version::stringify = \&version::vpp::stringify;
+	    *{'version::(""'} = \&version::vpp::stringify;
+	    *{'version::(<=>'} = \&version::vpp::vcmp;
+	    *version::new = \&version::vpp::new;
+	    *version::parse = \&version::vpp::parse;
+	}
+    }
+    else { # use XS module
+	push @ISA, "version::vxs";
+	local $^W;
+	*version::declare = \&version::vxs::declare;
+	*version::qv = \&version::vxs::qv;
+	*version::_VERSION = \&version::vxs::_VERSION;
+	*version::vcmp = \&version::vxs::VCMP;
+	if ($] >= 5.009000) {
+	    no strict 'refs';
+	    *version::stringify = \&version::vxs::stringify;
+	    *{'version::(""'} = \&version::vxs::stringify;
+	    *{'version::(<=>'} = \&version::vxs::VCMP;
+	    *version::new = \&version::vxs::new;
+	    *version::parse = \&version::vxs::parse;
+	}
+
+    }
+}
+
 # Preloaded methods go here.
 sub import {
     no strict 'refs';
@@ -152,16 +192,24 @@ sub import {
 	  unless defined(&{$callpkg.'::qv'});
     }
 
+    if (exists($args{'UNIVERSAL::VERSION'})) {
+	local $^W;
+	*UNIVERSAL::VERSION 
+		= \&version::_VERSION;
+    }
+
     if (exists($args{'VERSION'})) {
 	*{$callpkg.'::VERSION'} = \&version::_VERSION;
     }
 
     if (exists($args{'is_strict'})) {
-	*{$callpkg.'::is_strict'} = \&version::is_strict;
+	*{$callpkg.'::is_strict'} = \&version::is_strict
+	  unless defined(&{$callpkg.'::is_strict'});
     }
 
     if (exists($args{'is_lax'})) {
-	*{$callpkg.'::is_lax'} = \&version::is_lax;
+	*{$callpkg.'::is_lax'} = \&version::is_lax
+	  unless defined(&{$callpkg.'::is_lax'});
     }
 }