diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 7e2750f4ca70..cdeda68cf2aa 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -776,7 +776,7 @@ $(vmlinux-dirs): prepare scripts
 #	  $(EXTRAVERSION)		eg, -rc6
 #	$(localver-full)
 #	  $(localver)
-#	    localversion*		(all localversion* files)
+#	    localversion*		(files without backups, containing '~')
 #	    $(CONFIG_LOCALVERSION)	(from kernel config setting)
 #	  $(localver-auto)		(only if CONFIG_LOCALVERSION_AUTO is set)
 #	    ./scripts/setlocalversion	(SCM tag, if one exists)
@@ -787,17 +787,12 @@ $(vmlinux-dirs): prepare scripts
 # moment, only git is supported but other SCMs can edit the script
 # scripts/setlocalversion and add the appropriate checks as needed.
 
-nullstring :=
-space      := $(nullstring) # end of line
+pattern = ".*/localversion[^~]*"
+string  = $(shell cat /dev/null \
+	   `find $(objtree) $(srctree) -maxdepth 1 -regex $(pattern) | sort`)
 
-___localver = $(objtree)/localversion* $(srctree)/localversion*
-__localver  = $(sort $(wildcard $(___localver)))
-# skip backup files (containing '~')
-_localver = $(foreach f, $(__localver), $(if $(findstring ~, $(f)),,$(f)))
-
-localver = $(subst $(space),, \
-	   $(shell cat /dev/null $(_localver)) \
-	   $(patsubst "%",%,$(CONFIG_LOCALVERSION)))
+localver = $(subst $(space),, $(string) \
+			      $(patsubst "%",%,$(CONFIG_LOCALVERSION)))
 
 # If CONFIG_LOCALVERSION_AUTO is set scripts/setlocalversion is called
 # and if the SCM is know a tag from the SCM is appended.