diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 681bdb5d2f41..12607d389148 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1247,9 +1247,15 @@ define filechk_utsrelease.h
 endef
 
 define filechk_version.h
-	echo \#define LINUX_VERSION_CODE $(shell                         \
-	expr $(VERSION) \* 65536 + 0$(PATCHLEVEL) \* 256 + 0$(SUBLEVEL)); \
-	echo '#define KERNEL_VERSION(a,b,c) (((a) << 16) + ((b) << 8) + (c))'
+	if [ $(SUBLEVEL) -gt 255 ]; then                                 \
+		echo \#define LINUX_VERSION_CODE $(shell                 \
+		expr $(VERSION) \* 65536 + 0$(PATCHLEVEL) \* 256 + 255); \
+	else                                                             \
+		echo \#define LINUX_VERSION_CODE $(shell                 \
+		expr $(VERSION) \* 65536 + 0$(PATCHLEVEL) \* 256 + $(SUBLEVEL)); \
+	fi;                                                              \
+	echo '#define KERNEL_VERSION(a,b,c) (((a) << 16) + ((b) << 8) +  \
+	((c) > 255 ? 255 : (c)))'
 endef
 
 $(version_h): FORCE