diff --git a/brew/README.md b/brew/README.md
index 9364255a4..55ee97e9a 100644
--- a/brew/README.md
+++ b/brew/README.md
@@ -18,11 +18,11 @@ These platform versions and permutations have been tested and are known to work
 | role        | brew                        | golang                | os                     | arch               | repo       |
 | ----------- | --------------------------- | --------------------- | ---------------------- | ------------------ | ---------- |
 | maintainer: | Homebrew 3.0.1-120-g5ca03ab | go1.15.8 darwin/amd64 | macOS Catalina 10.15.3 | Intel 64-bit       |            |
-|             |                             |                       | macOS Big Sur 11.x (?) | Apple M1 ARM64 (?) |            |
+|             |   w/ ruby 2.6.3p62          |                       | macOS Big Sur 11.x (?) | Apple M1 ARM64 (?) |            |
 |             |                             |                       |                        |                    |            |
 |             |                             |                       |                        |                    |            |
 | pkg target: | Homebrew 3.0.1-120-g5ca03ab | go1.15.8 darwin/amd64 | macOS Catalina 10.15.3 | Intel 64-bit       | tailscale: |
-|             |                             |                       | macOS Big Sur 11.x (?) | Apple M1 ARM64 (?) | 188bb14269 |
+|             |   w/ ruby 2.6.3p62          |                       | macOS Big Sur 11.x (?) | Apple M1 ARM64 (?) | 188bb14269 |
 |             |                             |                       |                        |                    | HEAD       |
 |             |                             |                       |                        |                    | likely 1.5 |
 
@@ -44,12 +44,12 @@ These platform versions and permutations have been tested and are known to work
 |                    | make-test-source-tarball.sh  |                                                                |
 |                    | serve-tarball.sh             |                                                                |
 |                    | dl-tarball-sha.sh            |                                                                |
-|                    | search-interesting.sh        | nice to keep these on maintainer's radar                       |
 |                    | test.sh                      | tests all supported permutations                               |
 |                    | install-start-with-checks.sh | install test run for maintainer                                |
 |                    | up.sh                        |                                                                |
 |                    | status.sh                    |                                                                |
 |                    | stop-uninstall-wipe.sh       | closing counterpart to the install*.sh script                  |
+|                    | search-interesting.sh        | nice to keep these on maintainer's radar                       |
 |                    |                              |                                                                |
 | subdirs            | brew/local/                  | .gitignored tree created and used during brew maintenance work |
 
diff --git a/brew/generate-formula.sh b/brew/generate-formula.sh
index cd0dd0ea1..03f2a9a98 100755
--- a/brew/generate-formula.sh
+++ b/brew/generate-formula.sh
@@ -40,21 +40,29 @@ cat <<TEMPLATE4
     tailscale_path = buildpath/"src/github.com/tailscale/tailscale"
     tailscale_path.install buildpath.children
     cd tailscale_path do
-      # TODO(mkramlich): refactor down the 'version.sh to ENV sets':
-      output = Utils.safe_popen_read("./version/version.sh")
-      lines = output.split("\n")
+      # build the exes with version strings equiv to the tailscale repo's build_dist.sh:
+      # TODO(mkramlich): refactor down the steps from version.sh to ldflags
+      # TODO(mkramlich): make brew audit of all formulae silent and 0 again
+      distvers = Utils.safe_popen_read("./version/version.sh")
+      lines = distvers.split("\n")
+      ver_props = {}
       lines.each do |line|
         parts = line.split("=")
         key = parts.at(0)
         val = parts.at(1)
-        system "echo adding to ENV for go builds: key #{key}, val #{val}"
-        ENV[key] = val
+        # system "echo adding to ver_props for go builds: key #{key}, val #{val}"
+        val = val.gsub('"', '') # because version.sh emits each prop with double-quotes enclosing each val
+        ver_props[key] = val
       end
-      # TODO(mkramlich): make brew audit happy again
-      # TODO(mkramlich): lose the breaking quotes around the vals in the #{ENV["FOO"]} renders in the go builds
-      # go builds equiv to how done by tailscale repo's build_dist.sh:
-      system "go", "build", "-o", ".", "-tags", "xversion", "-ldflags", "\"-X tailscale.com/version.Long=#{ENV["VERSION_LONG"]} -X tailscale.com/version.Short=#{ENV["VERSION_SHORT"]} -X tailscale.com/version.GitCommit=#{ENV["VERSION_GIT_HASH"]}\"", "tailscale.com/cmd/tailscale"
-      system "go", "build", "-o", ".", "-tags", "xversion", "-ldflags", "\"-X tailscale.com/version.Long=#{ENV["VERSION_LONG"]} -X tailscale.com/version.Short=#{ENV["VERSION_SHORT"]} -X tailscale.com/version.GitCommit=#{ENV["VERSION_GIT_HASH"]}\"", "tailscale.com/cmd/tailscaled"
+      vl  = ver_props["VERSION_LONG"]
+      vs  = ver_props["VERSION_SHORT"]
+      vgh = ver_props["VERSION_GIT_HASH"]
+      vl  = "tailscale.com/version.Long="      + vl
+      vs  = "tailscale.com/version.Short="     + vs
+      vgh = "tailscale.com/version.GitCommit=" + vgh
+      ldflags  = "-X #{vl} -X #{vs} -X #{vgh}"
+      system "go", "build", "-o", ".", "-tags", "xversion", "-ldflags", ldflags, "tailscale.com/cmd/tailscale"
+      system "go", "build", "-o", ".", "-tags", "xversion", "-ldflags", ldflags, "tailscale.com/cmd/tailscaled"
       bin.install "tailscale"
       bin.install "tailscaled"
     end
diff --git a/brew/tailscale.commit-pin.rb b/brew/tailscale.commit-pin.rb
index c7e6e7eb4..f984beb6e 100644
--- a/brew/tailscale.commit-pin.rb
+++ b/brew/tailscale.commit-pin.rb
@@ -19,21 +19,29 @@ class Tailscale < Formula
     tailscale_path = buildpath/"src/github.com/tailscale/tailscale"
     tailscale_path.install buildpath.children
     cd tailscale_path do
-      # TODO(mkramlich): refactor down the 'version.sh to ENV sets':
-      output = Utils.safe_popen_read("./version/version.sh")
-      lines = output.split("\n")
+      # build the exes with version strings equiv to the tailscale repo's build_dist.sh:
+      # TODO(mkramlich): refactor down the steps from version.sh to ldflags
+      # TODO(mkramlich): make brew audit of all formulae silent and 0 again
+      distvers = Utils.safe_popen_read("./version/version.sh")
+      lines = distvers.split("\n")
+      ver_props = {}
       lines.each do |line|
         parts = line.split("=")
         key = parts.at(0)
         val = parts.at(1)
-        system "echo adding to ENV for go builds: key #{key}, val #{val}"
-        ENV[key] = val
+        # system "echo adding to ver_props for go builds: key #{key}, val #{val}"
+        val = val.gsub('"', '') # because version.sh emits each prop with double-quotes enclosing each val
+        ver_props[key] = val
       end
-      # TODO(mkramlich): make brew audit happy again
-      # TODO(mkramlich): lose the breaking quotes around the vals in the #{ENV["FOO"]} renders in the go builds
-      # go builds equiv to how done by tailscale repo's build_dist.sh:
-      system "go", "build", "-o", ".", "-tags", "xversion", "-ldflags", "\"-X tailscale.com/version.Long=#{ENV["VERSION_LONG"]} -X tailscale.com/version.Short=#{ENV["VERSION_SHORT"]} -X tailscale.com/version.GitCommit=#{ENV["VERSION_GIT_HASH"]}\"", "tailscale.com/cmd/tailscale"
-      system "go", "build", "-o", ".", "-tags", "xversion", "-ldflags", "\"-X tailscale.com/version.Long=#{ENV["VERSION_LONG"]} -X tailscale.com/version.Short=#{ENV["VERSION_SHORT"]} -X tailscale.com/version.GitCommit=#{ENV["VERSION_GIT_HASH"]}\"", "tailscale.com/cmd/tailscaled"
+      vl  = ver_props["VERSION_LONG"]
+      vs  = ver_props["VERSION_SHORT"]
+      vgh = ver_props["VERSION_GIT_HASH"]
+      vl  = "tailscale.com/version.Long="      + vl
+      vs  = "tailscale.com/version.Short="     + vs
+      vgh = "tailscale.com/version.GitCommit=" + vgh
+      ldflags  = "-X #{vl} -X #{vs} -X #{vgh}"
+      system "go", "build", "-o", ".", "-tags", "xversion", "-ldflags", ldflags, "tailscale.com/cmd/tailscale"
+      system "go", "build", "-o", ".", "-tags", "xversion", "-ldflags", ldflags, "tailscale.com/cmd/tailscaled"
       bin.install "tailscale"
       bin.install "tailscaled"
     end
diff --git a/brew/tailscale.rb b/brew/tailscale.rb
index c7e6e7eb4..f984beb6e 100644
--- a/brew/tailscale.rb
+++ b/brew/tailscale.rb
@@ -19,21 +19,29 @@ class Tailscale < Formula
     tailscale_path = buildpath/"src/github.com/tailscale/tailscale"
     tailscale_path.install buildpath.children
     cd tailscale_path do
-      # TODO(mkramlich): refactor down the 'version.sh to ENV sets':
-      output = Utils.safe_popen_read("./version/version.sh")
-      lines = output.split("\n")
+      # build the exes with version strings equiv to the tailscale repo's build_dist.sh:
+      # TODO(mkramlich): refactor down the steps from version.sh to ldflags
+      # TODO(mkramlich): make brew audit of all formulae silent and 0 again
+      distvers = Utils.safe_popen_read("./version/version.sh")
+      lines = distvers.split("\n")
+      ver_props = {}
       lines.each do |line|
         parts = line.split("=")
         key = parts.at(0)
         val = parts.at(1)
-        system "echo adding to ENV for go builds: key #{key}, val #{val}"
-        ENV[key] = val
+        # system "echo adding to ver_props for go builds: key #{key}, val #{val}"
+        val = val.gsub('"', '') # because version.sh emits each prop with double-quotes enclosing each val
+        ver_props[key] = val
       end
-      # TODO(mkramlich): make brew audit happy again
-      # TODO(mkramlich): lose the breaking quotes around the vals in the #{ENV["FOO"]} renders in the go builds
-      # go builds equiv to how done by tailscale repo's build_dist.sh:
-      system "go", "build", "-o", ".", "-tags", "xversion", "-ldflags", "\"-X tailscale.com/version.Long=#{ENV["VERSION_LONG"]} -X tailscale.com/version.Short=#{ENV["VERSION_SHORT"]} -X tailscale.com/version.GitCommit=#{ENV["VERSION_GIT_HASH"]}\"", "tailscale.com/cmd/tailscale"
-      system "go", "build", "-o", ".", "-tags", "xversion", "-ldflags", "\"-X tailscale.com/version.Long=#{ENV["VERSION_LONG"]} -X tailscale.com/version.Short=#{ENV["VERSION_SHORT"]} -X tailscale.com/version.GitCommit=#{ENV["VERSION_GIT_HASH"]}\"", "tailscale.com/cmd/tailscaled"
+      vl  = ver_props["VERSION_LONG"]
+      vs  = ver_props["VERSION_SHORT"]
+      vgh = ver_props["VERSION_GIT_HASH"]
+      vl  = "tailscale.com/version.Long="      + vl
+      vs  = "tailscale.com/version.Short="     + vs
+      vgh = "tailscale.com/version.GitCommit=" + vgh
+      ldflags  = "-X #{vl} -X #{vs} -X #{vgh}"
+      system "go", "build", "-o", ".", "-tags", "xversion", "-ldflags", ldflags, "tailscale.com/cmd/tailscale"
+      system "go", "build", "-o", ".", "-tags", "xversion", "-ldflags", ldflags, "tailscale.com/cmd/tailscaled"
       bin.install "tailscale"
       bin.install "tailscaled"
     end
diff --git a/brew/tailscale.tb-github.rb b/brew/tailscale.tb-github.rb
index 33b420885..419009ec5 100644
--- a/brew/tailscale.tb-github.rb
+++ b/brew/tailscale.tb-github.rb
@@ -18,21 +18,29 @@ class Tailscale < Formula
     tailscale_path = buildpath/"src/github.com/tailscale/tailscale"
     tailscale_path.install buildpath.children
     cd tailscale_path do
-      # TODO(mkramlich): refactor down the 'version.sh to ENV sets':
-      output = Utils.safe_popen_read("./version/version.sh")
-      lines = output.split("\n")
+      # build the exes with version strings equiv to the tailscale repo's build_dist.sh:
+      # TODO(mkramlich): refactor down the steps from version.sh to ldflags
+      # TODO(mkramlich): make brew audit of all formulae silent and 0 again
+      distvers = Utils.safe_popen_read("./version/version.sh")
+      lines = distvers.split("\n")
+      ver_props = {}
       lines.each do |line|
         parts = line.split("=")
         key = parts.at(0)
         val = parts.at(1)
-        system "echo adding to ENV for go builds: key #{key}, val #{val}"
-        ENV[key] = val
+        # system "echo adding to ver_props for go builds: key #{key}, val #{val}"
+        val = val.gsub('"', '') # because version.sh emits each prop with double-quotes enclosing each val
+        ver_props[key] = val
       end
-      # TODO(mkramlich): make brew audit happy again
-      # TODO(mkramlich): lose the breaking quotes around the vals in the #{ENV["FOO"]} renders in the go builds
-      # go builds equiv to how done by tailscale repo's build_dist.sh:
-      system "go", "build", "-o", ".", "-tags", "xversion", "-ldflags", "\"-X tailscale.com/version.Long=#{ENV["VERSION_LONG"]} -X tailscale.com/version.Short=#{ENV["VERSION_SHORT"]} -X tailscale.com/version.GitCommit=#{ENV["VERSION_GIT_HASH"]}\"", "tailscale.com/cmd/tailscale"
-      system "go", "build", "-o", ".", "-tags", "xversion", "-ldflags", "\"-X tailscale.com/version.Long=#{ENV["VERSION_LONG"]} -X tailscale.com/version.Short=#{ENV["VERSION_SHORT"]} -X tailscale.com/version.GitCommit=#{ENV["VERSION_GIT_HASH"]}\"", "tailscale.com/cmd/tailscaled"
+      vl  = ver_props["VERSION_LONG"]
+      vs  = ver_props["VERSION_SHORT"]
+      vgh = ver_props["VERSION_GIT_HASH"]
+      vl  = "tailscale.com/version.Long="      + vl
+      vs  = "tailscale.com/version.Short="     + vs
+      vgh = "tailscale.com/version.GitCommit=" + vgh
+      ldflags  = "-X #{vl} -X #{vs} -X #{vgh}"
+      system "go", "build", "-o", ".", "-tags", "xversion", "-ldflags", ldflags, "tailscale.com/cmd/tailscale"
+      system "go", "build", "-o", ".", "-tags", "xversion", "-ldflags", ldflags, "tailscale.com/cmd/tailscaled"
       bin.install "tailscale"
       bin.install "tailscaled"
     end
diff --git a/brew/tailscale.tb-local.rb b/brew/tailscale.tb-local.rb
index 6c0c2d540..b5c495ad0 100644
--- a/brew/tailscale.tb-local.rb
+++ b/brew/tailscale.tb-local.rb
@@ -18,21 +18,29 @@ class Tailscale < Formula
     tailscale_path = buildpath/"src/github.com/tailscale/tailscale"
     tailscale_path.install buildpath.children
     cd tailscale_path do
-      # TODO(mkramlich): refactor down the 'version.sh to ENV sets':
-      output = Utils.safe_popen_read("./version/version.sh")
-      lines = output.split("\n")
+      # build the exes with version strings equiv to the tailscale repo's build_dist.sh:
+      # TODO(mkramlich): refactor down the steps from version.sh to ldflags
+      # TODO(mkramlich): make brew audit of all formulae silent and 0 again
+      distvers = Utils.safe_popen_read("./version/version.sh")
+      lines = distvers.split("\n")
+      ver_props = {}
       lines.each do |line|
         parts = line.split("=")
         key = parts.at(0)
         val = parts.at(1)
-        system "echo adding to ENV for go builds: key #{key}, val #{val}"
-        ENV[key] = val
+        # system "echo adding to ver_props for go builds: key #{key}, val #{val}"
+        val = val.gsub('"', '') # because version.sh emits each prop with double-quotes enclosing each val
+        ver_props[key] = val
       end
-      # TODO(mkramlich): make brew audit happy again
-      # TODO(mkramlich): lose the breaking quotes around the vals in the #{ENV["FOO"]} renders in the go builds
-      # go builds equiv to how done by tailscale repo's build_dist.sh:
-      system "go", "build", "-o", ".", "-tags", "xversion", "-ldflags", "\"-X tailscale.com/version.Long=#{ENV["VERSION_LONG"]} -X tailscale.com/version.Short=#{ENV["VERSION_SHORT"]} -X tailscale.com/version.GitCommit=#{ENV["VERSION_GIT_HASH"]}\"", "tailscale.com/cmd/tailscale"
-      system "go", "build", "-o", ".", "-tags", "xversion", "-ldflags", "\"-X tailscale.com/version.Long=#{ENV["VERSION_LONG"]} -X tailscale.com/version.Short=#{ENV["VERSION_SHORT"]} -X tailscale.com/version.GitCommit=#{ENV["VERSION_GIT_HASH"]}\"", "tailscale.com/cmd/tailscaled"
+      vl  = ver_props["VERSION_LONG"]
+      vs  = ver_props["VERSION_SHORT"]
+      vgh = ver_props["VERSION_GIT_HASH"]
+      vl  = "tailscale.com/version.Long="      + vl
+      vs  = "tailscale.com/version.Short="     + vs
+      vgh = "tailscale.com/version.GitCommit=" + vgh
+      ldflags  = "-X #{vl} -X #{vs} -X #{vgh}"
+      system "go", "build", "-o", ".", "-tags", "xversion", "-ldflags", ldflags, "tailscale.com/cmd/tailscale"
+      system "go", "build", "-o", ".", "-tags", "xversion", "-ldflags", ldflags, "tailscale.com/cmd/tailscaled"
       bin.install "tailscale"
       bin.install "tailscaled"
     end