diff --git a/Makefile.work b/Makefile.work
index 83bf926d8ec3..9db59cf22511 100644
--- a/Makefile.work
+++ b/Makefile.work
@@ -513,6 +513,7 @@ SONIC_BUILD_INSTRUCTION :=  $(MAKE) \
                            MIRROR_URLS=$(MIRROR_URLS) \
                            MIRROR_SECURITY_URLS=$(MIRROR_SECURITY_URLS) \
                            MIRROR_SNAPSHOT=$(MIRROR_SNAPSHOT) \
+                           SONIC_OS_VERSION=$(SONIC_OS_VERSION) \
                            $(SONIC_OVERRIDE_BUILD_VARS)
 
 .PHONY: sonic-slave-build sonic-slave-bash init reset
diff --git a/build_debian.sh b/build_debian.sh
index c0d90bdfad51..6c8880144423 100755
--- a/build_debian.sh
+++ b/build_debian.sh
@@ -573,6 +573,7 @@ export release="$(if [ -f $FILESYSTEM_ROOT/etc/sonic/sonic_release ]; then cat $
 export build_date="$(date -u)"
 export build_number="${BUILD_NUMBER:-0}"
 export built_by="$USER@$BUILD_HOSTNAME"
+export sonic_os_version="${SONIC_OS_VERSION}"
 j2 files/build_templates/sonic_version.yml.j2 | sudo tee $FILESYSTEM_ROOT/etc/sonic/sonic_version.yml
 
 ## Copy over clean-up script
diff --git a/files/build_templates/sonic_version.yml.j2 b/files/build_templates/sonic_version.yml.j2
index bc6fb54189d4..8b829feeed00 100644
--- a/files/build_templates/sonic_version.yml.j2
+++ b/files/build_templates/sonic_version.yml.j2
@@ -29,3 +29,4 @@ built_by: {{ built_by }}
 {% if ENABLE_ASAN == "y" -%}
 asan: 'yes'
 {% endif -%}
+sonic_os_version: {{ sonic_os_version }}
diff --git a/platform/vs/sonic-version.mk b/platform/vs/sonic-version.mk
index 9e21573227b3..82409abd1ec1 100644
--- a/platform/vs/sonic-version.mk
+++ b/platform/vs/sonic-version.mk
@@ -2,9 +2,11 @@
 
 sonic_version=$(SONIC_GET_VERSION)
 sonic_asic_platform=$(CONFIGURED_PLATFORM)
+sonic_os_version=$(SONIC_OS_VERSION)
 
 export sonic_version
 export sonic_asic_platform
+export sonic_os_version
 
 SONIC_VERSION = sonic_version.yml
 $(SONIC_VERSION)_SRC_PATH = $(PLATFORM_PATH)/sonic-version
diff --git a/rules/config b/rules/config
index 9b214d582dd5..d3e345cd46a6 100644
--- a/rules/config
+++ b/rules/config
@@ -269,3 +269,6 @@ ENABLE_FIPS ?= n
 
 # SONIC_SLAVE_DOCKER_DRIVER - set the sonic slave docker storage driver
 SONIC_SLAVE_DOCKER_DRIVER ?= vfs
+
+# SONIC_OS_VERSION - sonic os version
+SONIC_OS_VERSION ?= 11
diff --git a/slave.mk b/slave.mk
index 7cfae3d408f5..6b6b65086e7e 100644
--- a/slave.mk
+++ b/slave.mk
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@ export CROSS_BUILD_ENVIRON
 export BLDENV
 export BUILD_WORKDIR
 export MIRROR_SNAPSHOT
+export SONIC_OS_VERSION
 
 ###############################################################################
 ## Utility rules