CTOOLS_MODULE_VERSION not recognized as constant breaks db update

When updating Ctools to a version with hardcoded version info CTOOLS_MODULE_VERSION it is not recognized as constant. Therefor other modules (e.g. Panels) which are checking this value throw an error during the db update process on update.php.
Re-enabling ctools solves this error but is not very recommended because of the many dependencies of other modules on ctools. They too get disabled in the process and are throwing lost of follow up errors.

Is there a way around without disabling ctools?