diff --git a/target/linux/ar71xx/Makefile b/target/linux/ar71xx/Makefile
index 24d7d5c692..594b48ef2c 100644
--- a/target/linux/ar71xx/Makefile
+++ b/target/linux/ar71xx/Makefile
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ FEATURES:=mips16
 CPU_TYPE=34kc
 SUBTARGETS:=generic nand mikrotik
 
-KERNEL_PATCHVER:=4.1
+KERNEL_PATCHVER:=4.4
 
 include $(INCLUDE_DIR)/target.mk