diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 7a95f4f8ef14..ce2bfbdeb96c 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -852,7 +852,7 @@ define filechk_version.h
 	)
 endef
 
-include/linux/version.h: $(srctree)/Makefile .config FORCE
+include/linux/version.h: $(srctree)/Makefile .config .kernelrelease FORCE
 	$(call filechk,version.h)
 
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