diff --git a/scripts/Kbuild.include b/scripts/Kbuild.include
index d897278b1f97..6a3ee981931d 100644
--- a/scripts/Kbuild.include
+++ b/scripts/Kbuild.include
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ as-option = $(call try-run,\
 # Usage: cflags-y += $(call as-instr,instr,option1,option2)
 
 as-instr = $(call try-run,\
-	/bin/echo -e "$(1)" | $(CC) $(KBUILD_AFLAGS) -c -xassembler -o "$$TMP" -,$(2),$(3))
+	printf "%b\n" "$(1)" | $(CC) $(KBUILD_AFLAGS) -c -xassembler -o "$$TMP" -,$(2),$(3))
 
 # cc-option
 # Usage: cflags-y += $(call cc-option,-march=winchip-c6,-march=i586)