diff --git a/Misc/NEWS b/Misc/NEWS
index 7756bcef552..b62e72aeea5 100644
--- a/Misc/NEWS
+++ b/Misc/NEWS
@@ -108,6 +108,9 @@ Library
 Build
 -----
 
+- Issue #23817: FreeBSD now uses "1.0" the the SOVERSION as other operating
+  systems, instead of just "1".
+
 - Issue #23501: Argument Clinic now generates code into separate files by default.
 
 Tests
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index a6eaadc1e4d..6218bd25a74 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -960,11 +960,6 @@ if test $enable_shared = "yes"; then
 	  LDLIBRARY='libpython$(LDVERSION).so'
 	  BLDLIBRARY='-L. -lpython$(LDVERSION)'
 	  RUNSHARED=LD_LIBRARY_PATH=`pwd`${LD_LIBRARY_PATH:+:${LD_LIBRARY_PATH}}
-	  case $ac_sys_system in
-	      FreeBSD*)
-		SOVERSION=`echo $SOVERSION|cut -d "." -f 1`
-		;;
-	  esac
 	  INSTSONAME="$LDLIBRARY".$SOVERSION
 	  if test "$with_pydebug" != yes
           then