diff --git a/scripts/Kbuild.include b/scripts/Kbuild.include
index bc5f25763c1b..88c144787e57 100644
--- a/scripts/Kbuild.include
+++ b/scripts/Kbuild.include
@@ -32,6 +32,10 @@ real-prereqs = $(filter-out $(PHONY), $^)
 # Escape single quote for use in echo statements
 escsq = $(subst $(squote),'\$(squote)',$1)
 
+###
+# Quote a string to pass it to C files. foo => '"foo"'
+stringify = $(squote)$(quote)$1$(quote)$(squote)
+
 ###
 # Easy method for doing a status message
        kecho := :
diff --git a/scripts/Makefile.lib b/scripts/Makefile.lib
index 724aa3e9b4a8..e5e5339bb575 100644
--- a/scripts/Makefile.lib
+++ b/scripts/Makefile.lib
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ target-stem = $(basename $(patsubst $(obj)/%,%,$@))
 # These flags are needed for modversions and compiling, so we define them here
 # $(modname_flags) defines KBUILD_MODNAME as the name of the module it will
 # end up in (or would, if it gets compiled in)
-name-fix = $(squote)$(quote)$(subst $(comma),_,$(subst -,_,$1))$(quote)$(squote)
+name-fix = $(call stringify,$(subst $(comma),_,$(subst -,_,$1)))
 basename_flags = -DKBUILD_BASENAME=$(call name-fix,$(basetarget))
 modname_flags  = -DKBUILD_MODNAME=$(call name-fix,$(modname))