diff --git a/include/kernel.mk b/include/kernel.mk
index a84c755a06..75797cf17e 100644
--- a/include/kernel.mk
+++ b/include/kernel.mk
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ else
   ifeq ($(call qstrip,$(CONFIG_EXTERNAL_KERNEL_TREE))$(call qstrip,$(CONFIG_KERNEL_GIT_CLONE_URI)),)
       LINUX_SITE:=@KERNEL/linux/kernel/v$(word 1,$(subst ., ,$(KERNEL_BASE))).x$(TESTING)
   else
-      LINUX_UNAME_VERSION:=$(strip $(shell cat $(LINUX_DIR)/include/config/kernel.release))
+      LINUX_UNAME_VERSION:=$(strip $(shell cat $(LINUX_DIR)/include/config/kernel.release 2>/dev/null))
   endif
 
   MODULES_SUBDIR:=lib/modules/$(LINUX_UNAME_VERSION)