diff --git a/docs/markdown/Pkgconfig-module.md b/docs/markdown/Pkgconfig-module.md
index 7e935247d..da1895771 100644
--- a/docs/markdown/Pkgconfig-module.md
+++ b/docs/markdown/Pkgconfig-module.md
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ keyword arguments.
   e.g. `datadir=${prefix}/share`. The names `prefix`, `libdir` and
   `installdir` are reserved and may not be used.
 - `version` a string describing the version of this library, used to set the
-  `Version:` field. Defaults to the project version if unspecified.
+  `Version:` field. (*since 0.46.0*) Defaults to the project version if unspecified.
 - `d_module_versions` a list of module version flags used when compiling
    D sources referred to by this pkg-config file
 
diff --git a/mesonbuild/modules/pkgconfig.py b/mesonbuild/modules/pkgconfig.py
index 8ce28bae8..2f8b53381 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/modules/pkgconfig.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/modules/pkgconfig.py
@@ -353,7 +353,9 @@ class PkgConfigModule(ExtensionModule):
         default_description = None
         default_name = None
         mainlib = None
-        if len(args) == 1:
+        if not args and 'version' not in kwargs:
+            FeatureNew('pkgconfig.generate implicit version keyword', '0.46.0').use(state.subproject)
+        elif len(args) == 1:
             FeatureNew('pkgconfig.generate optional positional argument', '0.46.0').use(state.subproject)
             mainlib = getattr(args[0], 'held_object', args[0])
             if not isinstance(mainlib, (build.StaticLibrary, build.SharedLibrary)):