diff --git a/scripts/package/Makefile b/scripts/package/Makefile
index 3a681ef25306..d2c29b63adda 100644
--- a/scripts/package/Makefile
+++ b/scripts/package/Makefile
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ rpm-pkg rpm: $(objtree)/kernel.spec FORCE
 	fi
 	$(MAKE) clean
 	$(PREV) ln -sf $(srctree) $(KERNELPATH)
-	$(CONFIG_SHELL) $(srctree)/scripts/setlocalversion --scm-only > $(objtree)/.scmversion
+	$(CONFIG_SHELL) $(srctree)/scripts/setlocalversion --save-scmversion
 	$(PREV) tar -cz $(RCS_TAR_IGNORE) -f $(KERNELPATH).tar.gz $(KERNELPATH)/.
 	$(PREV) rm $(KERNELPATH)
 	rm -f $(objtree)/.scmversion
diff --git a/scripts/setlocalversion b/scripts/setlocalversion
index a7b9f7607e13..64a9cb5556cd 100755
--- a/scripts/setlocalversion
+++ b/scripts/setlocalversion
@@ -10,13 +10,13 @@
 #
 
 usage() {
-	echo "Usage: $0 [--scm-only] [srctree]" >&2
+	echo "Usage: $0 [--save-scmversion] [srctree]" >&2
 	exit 1
 }
 
 scm_only=false
 srctree=.
-if test "$1" = "--scm-only"; then
+if test "$1" = "--save-scmversion"; then
 	scm_only=true
 	shift
 fi
@@ -132,7 +132,10 @@ collect_files()
 }
 
 if $scm_only; then
-	scm_version
+	if test ! -e .scmversion; then
+		res=$(scm_version)
+		echo "$res" >.scmversion
+	fi
 	exit
 fi