diff --git a/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/porters-handbook/book.sgml b/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/porters-handbook/book.sgml
index 05ddd7f7f4..aee65f0a97 100644
--- a/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/porters-handbook/book.sgml
+++ b/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/porters-handbook/book.sgml
@@ -3216,6 +3216,13 @@ LDCONFIG_DIRS=  %%PREFIX%%/lib/foo %%PREFIX%%/lib/bar</programlisting>
 	      <entry>The short version of Perl installed (e.g.,
 		<literal>5.005</literal>).</entry>
 	    </row>
+
+            <row>
+              <entry><makevar>PERL_LEVEL</makevar></entry>
+
+              <entry>The installed Perl version as an integer of the form MNNNPP
+                (e.g., <literal>500503</literal>).</entry>
+	    </row>
 	    
 	    <row>
 	      <entry><makevar>PERL_ARCH</makevar></entry>