diff --git a/scripts/Kbuild.include b/scripts/Kbuild.include
index f01132263535..bb19c1561f1e 100644
--- a/scripts/Kbuild.include
+++ b/scripts/Kbuild.include
@@ -77,8 +77,7 @@ cc-option-align = $(subst -functions=0,,\
 
 # cc-version
 # Usage gcc-ver := $(call cc-version, $(CC))
-cc-version = $(shell $(CONFIG_SHELL) $(srctree)/scripts/gcc-version.sh \
-              $(if $(1), $(1), $(CC)))
+cc-version = $(shell $(CONFIG_SHELL) $(srctree)/scripts/gcc-version.sh $(CC))
 
 # cc-ifversion
 # Usage:  EXTRA_CFLAGS += $(call cc-ifversion, -lt, 0402, -O1)