diff --git a/scripts/mkcompile_h b/scripts/mkcompile_h
index 6fdc97ef6023..5c723833ec54 100755
--- a/scripts/mkcompile_h
+++ b/scripts/mkcompile_h
@@ -76,7 +76,11 @@ UTS_TRUNCATE="cut -b -$UTS_LEN"
   echo \#define LINUX_COMPILE_BY \"`echo $LINUX_COMPILE_BY | $UTS_TRUNCATE`\"
   echo \#define LINUX_COMPILE_HOST \"`echo $LINUX_COMPILE_HOST | $UTS_TRUNCATE`\"
 
-  echo \#define LINUX_COMPILER \"`$CC -v 2>&1 | grep ' version '`\"
+  if [ -z "$KBUILD_COMPILER_STRING" ]; then
+    echo \#define LINUX_COMPILER \"`$CC -v 2>&1 | grep ' version ' | sed 's/[[:space:]]*$//'`\"
+  else
+    echo \#define LINUX_COMPILER \"$KBUILD_COMPILER_STRING\"
+  fi;
 ) > .tmpcompile
 
 # Only replace the real compile.h if the new one is different,