diff --git a/data/maps/Makefile b/data/maps/Makefile
index 995c5bb98b..bddd463527 100644
--- a/data/maps/Makefile
+++ b/data/maps/Makefile
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ $(DATADIR)/maps.google.com: $(DATADIR) FORCE
 $(PAPARAZZI_HOME)/conf/maps.xml: $(DATADIR)/maps.google.com
 	$(Q)echo "<!DOCTYPE maps SYSTEM \"maps.dtd\">" > $(@)
 	$(Q)echo "" >> $(@)
-	$(Q)echo "<maps google_version=\""`grep -P "http://khm[0-9]+.google.com/kh/v=[0-9]+.x26" $(DATADIR)/maps.google.com | sed -E s#.*http://khm[0-9]+.google.com/kh/v=## | sed -E s#.x26.*##`"\"/>" >> $(@)
+	$(Q)echo "<maps google_version=\""`grep -P "http://khm[0-9]+.google.com/kh/v=[0-9]+.x26" $(DATADIR)/maps.google.com | sed -E 's#.*http://khm[0-9]+.google.com/kh/v=##;s#.x26.*##'`"\"/>" >> $(@)
 	$(Q)echo "" >> $(@)
 
 FORCE:
diff --git a/sw/lib/ocaml/maps_support.ml b/sw/lib/ocaml/maps_support.ml
index e9e109f600..826257b020 100644
--- a/sw/lib/ocaml/maps_support.ml
+++ b/sw/lib/ocaml/maps_support.ml
@@ -23,16 +23,14 @@
  * Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA.
  *
  *)
-let google_ver = ref 0
-
 let home = Env.paparazzi_home
 let (//) = Filename.concat
 let maps_xml_path = home // "conf" // "maps.xml"
 
 let maps_xml = ExtXml.parse_file maps_xml_path
+let maps_xml_default = ExtXml.parse_file (maps_xml_path^".example")
+let gv = try Some (ExtXml.int_attrib maps_xml "google_version") with _ -> None
+let gv_default = try ExtXml.int_attrib maps_xml_default "google_version" with _ -> 0
+
+let google_version = match gv with Some v -> v | None -> gv_default
 
-let google_version = (
-  if !google_ver == 0 then (
-    google_ver := ExtXml.int_attrib maps_xml "google_version" );
-  !google_ver
-  )