diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 070b65f2faa2..b09ba9710185 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -410,8 +410,7 @@ KBUILD_LDFLAGS_MODULE := -T $(srctree)/scripts/module-common.lds
 GCC_PLUGINS_CFLAGS :=
 
 # Read KERNELRELEASE from include/config/kernel.release (if it exists)
-KERNELRELEASE = $(shell head -1 include/config/kernel.release 2> /dev/null)
-KERNELRELEASE_FULL = $(shell tail -1 include/config/kernel.release 2> /dev/null)
+KERNELRELEASE = $(shell cat include/config/kernel.release 2> /dev/null)
 KERNELVERSION = $(VERSION)$(if $(PATCHLEVEL),.$(PATCHLEVEL)$(if $(SUBLEVEL),.$(SUBLEVEL)))$(EXTRAVERSION)
 
 export VERSION PATCHLEVEL SUBLEVEL KERNELRELEASE KERNELVERSION
@@ -1090,7 +1089,7 @@ $(vmlinux-dirs): prepare scripts
 	$(Q)$(MAKE) $(build)=$@
 
 define filechk_kernel.release
-	echo "$(KERNELVERSION)\n$(KERNELVERSION)$$($(CONFIG_SHELL) $(srctree)/scripts/setlocalversion $(srctree))"
+	echo "$(KERNELVERSION)$$($(CONFIG_SHELL) $(srctree)/scripts/setlocalversion $(srctree))"
 endef
 
 # Store (new) KERNELRELEASE string in include/config/kernel.release
@@ -1211,7 +1210,7 @@ define filechk_utsrelease.h
 	  echo '"$(KERNELRELEASE)" exceeds $(uts_len) characters' >&2;    \
 	  exit 1;                                                         \
 	fi;                                                               \
-	(echo \#define UTS_RELEASE \"$(KERNELRELEASE)\"; echo \#define UTS_RELEASE_FULL \"$(KERNELRELEASE_FULL)\";)
+	(echo \#define UTS_RELEASE \"$(KERNELRELEASE)\";)
 endef
 
 define filechk_version.h
diff --git a/init/version.c b/init/version.c
index 41c4be31e302..fe41a63efed6 100644
--- a/init/version.c
+++ b/init/version.c
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(init_uts_ns);
 
 /* FIXED STRINGS! Don't touch! */
 const char linux_banner[] =
-	"Linux version " UTS_RELEASE_FULL " (" LINUX_COMPILE_BY "@"
+	"Linux version " UTS_RELEASE " (" LINUX_COMPILE_BY "@"
 	LINUX_COMPILE_HOST ") (" LINUX_COMPILER ") " UTS_VERSION "\n";
 
 const char linux_proc_banner[] =