diff --git a/scripts/package/mkdebian b/scripts/package/mkdebian
index f74380036bb54e0b107e49da9bdaca8c0b89cb04..c6fbfb9f74ba15e26ab734b587773f670a5dc17d 100755
--- a/scripts/package/mkdebian
+++ b/scripts/package/mkdebian
@@ -239,6 +239,7 @@ cat <<EOF > debian/rules
 #!$(command -v $MAKE) -f
 
 srctree ?= .
+KERNELRELEASE = ${KERNELRELEASE}
 
 build-indep:
 build-arch:
@@ -250,7 +251,9 @@ build: build-arch
 
 binary-indep:
 binary-arch: build-arch
-	\$(MAKE) -f \$(srctree)/Makefile ARCH=${ARCH} intdeb-pkg
+	\$(MAKE) -f \$(srctree)/Makefile ARCH=${ARCH} \
+	KERNELRELEASE=\$(KERNELRELEASE) intdeb-pkg
+
 clean:
 	rm -rf debian/files debian/linux-*
 	\$(MAKE) -f \$(srctree)/Makefile ARCH=${ARCH} clean