diff --git a/package/base-files/files/bin/config_generate b/package/base-files/files/bin/config_generate
index abb1388ba1..eb6816e519 100755
--- a/package/base-files/files/bin/config_generate
+++ b/package/base-files/files/bin/config_generate
@@ -264,6 +264,13 @@ generate_static_system() {
 				uci -q set "system.@system[-1].hostname=$hostname"
 			fi
 
+			local compat_version
+			if json_get_var compat_version compat_version; then
+				uci -q set "system.@system[-1].compat_version=$compat_version"
+			else
+				uci -q set "system.@system[-1].compat_version=1.0"
+			fi
+
 			if json_is_a ntpserver array; then
 				local keys key
 				json_get_keys keys ntpserver
diff --git a/package/base-files/files/lib/functions/uci-defaults.sh b/package/base-files/files/lib/functions/uci-defaults.sh
index 12b900031d..27a409fe3b 100755
--- a/package/base-files/files/lib/functions/uci-defaults.sh
+++ b/package/base-files/files/lib/functions/uci-defaults.sh
@@ -68,6 +68,12 @@ ucidef_set_model_name() {
 	json_select ..
 }
 
+ucidef_set_compat_version() {
+	json_select_object system
+	json_add_string compat_version "${1:-1.0}"
+	json_select ..
+}
+
 ucidef_set_interface_lan() {
 	ucidef_set_interface "lan" ifname "$1" protocol "${2:-static}"
 }