diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 88b7fa50f619..107eb9ed648f 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -480,6 +480,7 @@ asm-generic:
 # of make so .config is not included in this case either (for *config).
 
 version_h := include/generated/uapi/linux/version.h
+old_version_h := include/linux/version.h
 
 no-dot-config-targets := clean mrproper distclean \
 			 cscope gtags TAGS tags help %docs check% coccicheck \
@@ -1004,6 +1005,7 @@ endef
 
 $(version_h): $(srctree)/Makefile FORCE
 	$(call filechk,version.h)
+	$(Q)rm -f $(old_version_h)
 
 include/generated/utsrelease.h: include/config/kernel.release FORCE
 	$(call filechk,utsrelease.h)
@@ -1172,7 +1174,7 @@ MRPROPER_FILES += .config .config.old .version .old_version $(version_h) \
 		  Module.symvers tags TAGS cscope* GPATH GTAGS GRTAGS GSYMS \
 		  signing_key.priv signing_key.x509 x509.genkey		\
 		  extra_certificates signing_key.x509.keyid		\
-		  signing_key.x509.signer include/linux/version.h
+		  signing_key.x509.signer
 
 # clean - Delete most, but leave enough to build external modules
 #