diff --git a/tools/tracing/rtla/Makefile b/tools/tracing/rtla/Makefile
index 3822f4ea5f49..1bea2d16d4c1 100644
--- a/tools/tracing/rtla/Makefile
+++ b/tools/tracing/rtla/Makefile
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 NAME	:=	rtla
 # Follow the kernel version
-VERSION :=	$(shell cat VERSION 2> /dev/null || make -sC ../../.. kernelversion)
+VERSION :=	$(shell cat VERSION 2> /dev/null || make -sC ../../.. kernelversion | grep -v make)
 
 # From libtracefs:
 # Makefiles suck: This macro sets a default value of $(2) for the