diff --git a/brew/generate-formula.sh b/brew/generate-formula.sh
index 03f2a9a98..ea902f3ad 100755
--- a/brew/generate-formula.sh
+++ b/brew/generate-formula.sh
@@ -41,26 +41,7 @@ cat <<TEMPLATE4
     tailscale_path.install buildpath.children
     cd tailscale_path do
       # 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 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
-      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}"
+      ldflags = prepare_ldflags
       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"
@@ -68,6 +49,31 @@ cat <<TEMPLATE4
     end
   end
 
+  def prepare_ldflags
+    ver_props = prepare_ver_props
+    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}"
+    "-X #{vl} -X #{vs} -X #{vgh}"
+  end
+
+  def prepare_ver_props
+    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).delete('"') # cuz version.sh emits each prop with double-quotes enclosing each val
+      # system "echo adding to ver_props for go builds: key #{key}, val #{val}"
+      ver_props[key] = val
+    end
+    ver_props
+  end
+
   def post_install
     (var/"run/tailscale").mkpath
     (var/"lib/tailscale").mkpath
diff --git a/brew/install-start-with-checks.sh b/brew/install-start-with-checks.sh
index b9a4ed8ca..d8460700f 100755
--- a/brew/install-start-with-checks.sh
+++ b/brew/install-start-with-checks.sh
@@ -25,9 +25,7 @@ set -e # to turn back on
 echo
 echo audit formula...
 # requires Internet access for some audit checks:
-set +e # TODO(mkramlich): tmp allow a nonclean formula audit until build_dist fixes/refactor done
-brew audit --strict --online --formula $TS_FORMULA # keep this run output blank and exit 0
-set -e
+brew audit --strict --online --formula $TS_FORMULA # keep this run exit 0 (NOTE: Homebrew can be noisy if updates)
 
 echo
 echo installing...
diff --git a/brew/tailscale.commit-pin.rb b/brew/tailscale.commit-pin.rb
index f984beb6e..db8896ee9 100644
--- a/brew/tailscale.commit-pin.rb
+++ b/brew/tailscale.commit-pin.rb
@@ -20,26 +20,7 @@ class Tailscale < Formula
     tailscale_path.install buildpath.children
     cd tailscale_path do
       # 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 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
-      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}"
+      ldflags = prepare_ldflags
       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"
@@ -47,6 +28,31 @@ class Tailscale < Formula
     end
   end
 
+  def prepare_ldflags
+    ver_props = prepare_ver_props
+    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}"
+    "-X #{vl} -X #{vs} -X #{vgh}"
+  end
+
+  def prepare_ver_props
+    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).delete('"') # cuz version.sh emits each prop with double-quotes enclosing each val
+      # system "echo adding to ver_props for go builds: key #{key}, val #{val}"
+      ver_props[key] = val
+    end
+    ver_props
+  end
+
   def post_install
     (var/"run/tailscale").mkpath
     (var/"lib/tailscale").mkpath
diff --git a/brew/tailscale.rb b/brew/tailscale.rb
index f984beb6e..db8896ee9 100644
--- a/brew/tailscale.rb
+++ b/brew/tailscale.rb
@@ -20,26 +20,7 @@ class Tailscale < Formula
     tailscale_path.install buildpath.children
     cd tailscale_path do
       # 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 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
-      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}"
+      ldflags = prepare_ldflags
       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"
@@ -47,6 +28,31 @@ class Tailscale < Formula
     end
   end
 
+  def prepare_ldflags
+    ver_props = prepare_ver_props
+    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}"
+    "-X #{vl} -X #{vs} -X #{vgh}"
+  end
+
+  def prepare_ver_props
+    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).delete('"') # cuz version.sh emits each prop with double-quotes enclosing each val
+      # system "echo adding to ver_props for go builds: key #{key}, val #{val}"
+      ver_props[key] = val
+    end
+    ver_props
+  end
+
   def post_install
     (var/"run/tailscale").mkpath
     (var/"lib/tailscale").mkpath
diff --git a/brew/tailscale.tb-github.rb b/brew/tailscale.tb-github.rb
index 419009ec5..7a9fa0d0e 100644
--- a/brew/tailscale.tb-github.rb
+++ b/brew/tailscale.tb-github.rb
@@ -19,26 +19,7 @@ class Tailscale < Formula
     tailscale_path.install buildpath.children
     cd tailscale_path do
       # 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 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
-      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}"
+      ldflags = prepare_ldflags
       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"
@@ -46,6 +27,31 @@ class Tailscale < Formula
     end
   end
 
+  def prepare_ldflags
+    ver_props = prepare_ver_props
+    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}"
+    "-X #{vl} -X #{vs} -X #{vgh}"
+  end
+
+  def prepare_ver_props
+    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).delete('"') # cuz version.sh emits each prop with double-quotes enclosing each val
+      # system "echo adding to ver_props for go builds: key #{key}, val #{val}"
+      ver_props[key] = val
+    end
+    ver_props
+  end
+
   def post_install
     (var/"run/tailscale").mkpath
     (var/"lib/tailscale").mkpath
diff --git a/brew/tailscale.tb-local.rb b/brew/tailscale.tb-local.rb
index b5c495ad0..f57c990f8 100644
--- a/brew/tailscale.tb-local.rb
+++ b/brew/tailscale.tb-local.rb
@@ -19,26 +19,7 @@ class Tailscale < Formula
     tailscale_path.install buildpath.children
     cd tailscale_path do
       # 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 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
-      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}"
+      ldflags = prepare_ldflags
       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"
@@ -46,6 +27,31 @@ class Tailscale < Formula
     end
   end
 
+  def prepare_ldflags
+    ver_props = prepare_ver_props
+    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}"
+    "-X #{vl} -X #{vs} -X #{vgh}"
+  end
+
+  def prepare_ver_props
+    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).delete('"') # cuz version.sh emits each prop with double-quotes enclosing each val
+      # system "echo adding to ver_props for go builds: key #{key}, val #{val}"
+      ver_props[key] = val
+    end
+    ver_props
+  end
+
   def post_install
     (var/"run/tailscale").mkpath
     (var/"lib/tailscale").mkpath