diff --git a/config.mk b/config.mk
index fa33e62851..c239f2315d 100644
--- a/config.mk
+++ b/config.mk
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ HOSTCFLAGS	+= -pedantic
 
 #########################################################################
 #
-# Option checker (courtesy linux kernel) to ensure
+# Option checker, gcc version (courtesy linux kernel) to ensure
 # only supported compiler options are used
 #
 CC_OPTIONS_CACHE_FILE := $(OBJTREE)/include/generated/cc_options.mk
@@ -125,6 +125,10 @@ cc-option = $(strip $(if $(findstring $1,$(CC_OPTIONS)),$1,\
 		$(if $(call cc-option-sys,$1),$1,$2)))
 endif
 
+# cc-version
+# Usage gcc-ver := $(call cc-version)
+cc-version = $(shell $(SHELL) $(SRCTREE)/tools/gcc-version.sh $(CC))
+
 #
 # Include the make variables (CC, etc...)
 #
diff --git a/tools/gcc-version.sh b/tools/gcc-version.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..debecb5561
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/gcc-version.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+#
+# gcc-version [-p] gcc-command
+#
+# Prints the gcc version of `gcc-command' in a canonical 4-digit form
+# such as `0295' for gcc-2.95, `0303' for gcc-3.3, etc.
+#
+# With the -p option, prints the patchlevel as well, for example `029503' for
+# gcc-2.95.3, `030301' for gcc-3.3.1, etc.
+#
+
+if [ "$1" = "-p" ] ; then
+	with_patchlevel=1;
+	shift;
+fi
+
+compiler="$*"
+
+if [ ${#compiler} -eq 0 ]; then
+	echo "Error: No compiler specified."
+	printf "Usage:\n\t$0 <gcc-command>\n"
+	exit 1
+fi
+
+MAJOR=$(echo __GNUC__ | $compiler -E -xc - | tail -n 1)
+MINOR=$(echo __GNUC_MINOR__ | $compiler -E -xc - | tail -n 1)
+if [ "x$with_patchlevel" != "x" ] ; then
+	PATCHLEVEL=$(echo __GNUC_PATCHLEVEL__ | $compiler -E -xc - | tail -n 1)
+	printf "%02d%02d%02d\\n" $MAJOR $MINOR $PATCHLEVEL
+else
+	printf "%02d%02d\\n" $MAJOR $MINOR
+fi