diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 0146c6d4..09a4be89 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 - fix some compiler warnings
 - remove the 64-image limit on bandary operations
 - better version date, thanks bmwiedemann
+- bump wrapper script version, thanks bgilbert
 
 15/4/17 started 8.6.0
 - supports fits images with leading non-image HDUs, thanks benepo
diff --git a/test/test_cli.sh b/test/test_cli.sh
index d7434276..6e2d8a94 100755
--- a/test/test_cli.sh
+++ b/test/test_cli.sh
@@ -7,6 +7,15 @@
 
 . ./variables.sh
 
+# verify that the version number on the wrapper script is correct
+version=$($vips --version)
+major=$(echo $version | cut -b6- | cut -d. -f1)
+minor=$(echo $version | cut -b6- | cut -d. -f2)
+if ! test -f $top_srcdir/tools/vips-$major.$minor; then
+	echo version number in vips wrapper is not correct
+	exit 1
+fi
+
 # is a difference beyond a threshold? return 0 (meaning all ok) or 1 (meaning
 # error, or outside threshold)
 # 
@@ -87,3 +96,4 @@ test_thumbnail "100x100<" 1024 768
 test_thumbnail "2000<" 2000 1500
 test_thumbnail "100x100>" 100 75
 test_thumbnail "2000>" 1024 768
+
diff --git a/tools/Makefile.am b/tools/Makefile.am
index f78b0920..48054b65 100644
--- a/tools/Makefile.am
+++ b/tools/Makefile.am
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ bin_SCRIPTS = \
 	batch_rubber_sheet \
 	batch_crop \
 	vipsprofile \
-	vips-8.5
+	vips-8.6
 
 EXTRA_DIST = \
 	vipsprofile \
diff --git a/tools/vips-8.5 b/tools/vips-8.6
similarity index 100%
rename from tools/vips-8.5
rename to tools/vips-8.6