diff --git a/tools/perf/util/PERF-VERSION-GEN b/tools/perf/util/PERF-VERSION-GEN
index ad73300f7bac..95264f304179 100755
--- a/tools/perf/util/PERF-VERSION-GEN
+++ b/tools/perf/util/PERF-VERSION-GEN
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ LF='
 # First check if there is a .git to get the version from git describe
 # otherwise try to get the version from the kernel makefile
 if test -d ../../.git -o -f ../../.git &&
-	VN=$(git describe --abbrev=4 HEAD 2>/dev/null) &&
+	VN=$(git describe --match 'v[0-9].[0-9]*' --abbrev=4 HEAD 2>/dev/null) &&
 	case "$VN" in
 	*$LF*) (exit 1) ;;
 	v[0-9]*)