diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index cf007a31d575..9aa47218100e 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1278,7 +1278,7 @@ CLEAN_DIRS  += $(MODVERDIR)
 # Directories & files removed with 'make mrproper'
 MRPROPER_DIRS  += include/config usr/include include/generated          \
 		  arch/*/include/generated .tmp_objdiff
-MRPROPER_FILES += .config .config.old .version .old_version \
+MRPROPER_FILES += .config .config.old .version \
 		  Module.symvers tags TAGS cscope* GPATH GTAGS GRTAGS GSYMS \
 		  signing_key.pem signing_key.priv signing_key.x509	\
 		  x509.genkey extra_certificates signing_key.x509.keyid	\
diff --git a/scripts/link-vmlinux.sh b/scripts/link-vmlinux.sh
index e7b7eee31538..0cdb25b66e6f 100755
--- a/scripts/link-vmlinux.sh
+++ b/scripts/link-vmlinux.sh
@@ -187,10 +187,8 @@ sortextable()
 # Delete output files in case of error
 cleanup()
 {
-	rm -f .old_version
 	rm -f .tmp_System.map
 	rm -f .tmp_kallsyms*
-	rm -f .tmp_version
 	rm -f .tmp_vmlinux*
 	rm -f built-in.o
 	rm -f System.map
@@ -238,12 +236,12 @@ esac
 
 # Update version
 info GEN .version
-if [ ! -r .version ]; then
-	rm -f .version;
-	echo 1 >.version;
+if [ -r .version ]; then
+	VERSION=$(expr 0$(cat .version) + 1)
+	echo $VERSION > .version
 else
-	mv .version .old_version;
-	expr 0$(cat .old_version) + 1 >.version;
+	rm -f .version
+	echo 1 > .version
 fi;
 
 # final build of init/
@@ -331,6 +329,3 @@ if [ -n "${CONFIG_KALLSYMS}" ]; then
 		exit 1
 	fi
 fi
-
-# We made a new kernel - delete old version file
-rm -f .old_version