diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 1244866..c0a11cd 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ SBINDIR= $(DESTDIR)/sbin
 BINDIR=  $(DESTDIR)/bin
 USRBINDIR= $(DESTDIR)/usr/bin
 MANDIR= $(DESTDIR)/usr/share/man
+DEFTAPE?= /dev/tape
 
 MTDIR=$(BINDIR)
 
@@ -32,7 +33,7 @@ version.h: Makefile
 	echo '#define VERSION "$(VERSION)"' > $@
 
 %: %.c version.h
-	$(CC) $(CPPFLAGS) $(CFLAGS) $(LDFLAGS) -o $@ $<
+	$(CC) $(CPPFLAGS) $(CFLAGS) $(LDFLAGS) -DDEFTAPE='"$(DEFTAPE)"' -o $@ $<
 
 install: $(PROGS)
 	install -d $(MTDIR) $(MANDIR) $(SBINDIR)
diff --git a/mt.c b/mt.c
index bdbabfe..84dc0e5 100644
--- a/mt.c
+++ b/mt.c
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ typedef struct cmdef_tr {
 #define ET_WPROT     2
 
 static void usage(int);
+static void version() __attribute__ ((noreturn));
 static int do_standard(int, cmdef_tr *, int, char **);
 static int do_drvbuffer(int, cmdef_tr *, int, char **);
 static int do_options(int, cmdef_tr *, int, char **);
@@ -291,6 +292,7 @@ static struct booleans {
 static char *tape_name;   /* The tape name for messages */
 
 
+
 	int
 main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
@@ -316,14 +318,12 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 		exit(0);
 		break;
 	    case 'v':
-		printf("mt-st v. %s\n", VERSION);
-		exit(0);
+		version();
 		break;
 	    case '-':
 		if (*(argv[argn] + 1) == '-' &&
 		    *(argv[argn] + 2) == 'v') {
-		    printf("mt-st v. %s\n", VERSION);
-		    exit(0);
+		    version();
 		}
 		/* Fall through */
 	    default:
@@ -409,6 +409,14 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 }
 
 
+	static void
+version()
+{
+	printf("mt-st v. %s\n", VERSION);
+	printf("default tape device: '%s'\n", DEFTAPE);
+	exit(0);
+}
+
 	static void
 usage(int explain)
 {