diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 203b86e95197..3e7f96f12f08 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1258,7 +1258,11 @@ vmlinux: vmlinux.o $(KBUILD_LDS) modpost
 # make sure no implicit rule kicks in
 $(sort $(KBUILD_LDS) $(KBUILD_VMLINUX_OBJS) $(KBUILD_VMLINUX_LIBS)): . ;
 
+ifeq ($(origin KERNELRELEASE),file)
 filechk_kernel.release = $(srctree)/scripts/setlocalversion $(srctree)
+else
+filechk_kernel.release = echo $(KERNELRELEASE)
+endif
 
 # Store (new) KERNELRELEASE string in include/config/kernel.release
 include/config/kernel.release: FORCE
@@ -2123,7 +2127,7 @@ checkstack:
 	$(PERL) $(srctree)/scripts/checkstack.pl $(CHECKSTACK_ARCH)
 
 kernelrelease:
-	@$(srctree)/scripts/setlocalversion $(srctree)
+	@$(filechk_kernel.release)
 
 kernelversion:
 	@echo $(KERNELVERSION)