diff --git a/third_party/go/kubernetes/version.bzl b/third_party/go/kubernetes/version.bzl
index 5cfb241..65bf523 100644
--- a/third_party/go/kubernetes/version.bzl
+++ b/third_party/go/kubernetes/version.bzl
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+# Compatibility for version_x_defs from k8s.io/component-base & co.
+# This makes all the defs be autopopulated from //bzl:workspace-status.sh.
+
 def version_x_defs():
     stamp_pkgs = [
         "k8s.io/component-base/version",
@@ -19,5 +22,5 @@
     x_defs = {}
     for pkg in stamp_pkgs:
         for var in stamp_vars:
-            x_defs["%s.%s" % (pkg, var)] = "{%s}" % var
+            x_defs["%s.%s" % (pkg, var)] = "{STABLE_KUBERNETES_%s}" % var
     return x_defs