diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index a86ac8c4798..12ab1751130 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -884,11 +884,9 @@ $(vmlinux-dirs): prepare scripts
 	$(Q)$(MAKE) $(build)=$@
 
 # Store (new) KERNELRELASE string in include/config/kernel.release
-localversion = $(shell $(CONFIG_SHELL) \
-	       $(srctree)/scripts/setlocalversion $(srctree))
 include/config/kernel.release: include/config/auto.conf FORCE
 	$(Q)rm -f $@
-	$(Q)echo $(KERNELVERSION)$(localversion) > $@
+	$(Q)echo "$(KERNELVERSION)$$($(CONFIG_SHELL) scripts/setlocalversion $(srctree))" > $@
 
 
 # Things we need to do before we recursively start building the kernel