diff --git a/src/centpkg/__init__.py b/src/centpkg/__init__.py
index ffe523f..e8a99bd 100644
--- a/src/centpkg/__init__.py
+++ b/src/centpkg/__init__.py
@@ -112,12 +112,11 @@ class Commands(Commands):
         '''
             Populate rpmdefines based on branch data
         '''
-        try:
-            osver = re.search(r'\d.*$', self.branch_merge).group()
-        except AttributeError:
-            raise rpkgError('Could not find the base OS ver from branch name'
-                            ' %s' % self.branch_merge)
-        self._distval = osver
+
+        if not self.distgitdir.centosversion:
+            raise rpkgError('Could not get the OS version from the branch:{0}'.format(self.branch_merge))
+
+        self._distval = self.distgitdir.centosversion
         self._distval = self._distval.replace('.', '_')
 
         self._disttag = 'el%s' % self._distval