diff --git a/package/qemu/qemu.mk b/package/qemu/qemu.mk
index 259813ccbd..581f4ee065 100644
--- a/package/qemu/qemu.mk
+++ b/package/qemu/qemu.mk
@@ -65,12 +65,10 @@ ifneq ($(HOST_QEMU_HOST_SYSTEM_TYPE),Linux)
 $(error "qemu-user can only be used on Linux hosts")
 endif
 
-HOST_QEMU_HOST_SYSTEM_VERSION_MAJOR = $(shell uname -r | cut -f1 -d'.')
-HOST_QEMU_HOST_SYSTEM_VERSION_MINOR = $(shell uname -r | cut -f2 -d'.')
-HOST_QEMU_TARGET_SYSTEM_VERSION_MAJOR = $(shell echo $(BR2_TOOLCHAIN_HEADERS_AT_LEAST) | cut -f1 -d'.')
-HOST_QEMU_TARGET_SYSTEM_VERSION_MINOR = $(shell echo $(BR2_TOOLCHAIN_HEADERS_AT_LEAST) | cut -f2 -d'.')
-HOST_QEMU_COMPARE_VERSION_MAJOR = $(shell test $(HOST_QEMU_HOST_SYSTEM_VERSION_MAJOR) -ge $(HOST_QEMU_TARGET_SYSTEM_VERSION_MAJOR) && echo OK)
-HOST_QEMU_COMPARE_VERSION_MINOR = $(shell test $(HOST_QEMU_HOST_SYSTEM_VERSION_MINOR) -ge $(HOST_QEMU_TARGET_SYSTEM_VERSION_MINOR) && echo OK)
+# kernel version as major*256 + minor
+HOST_QEMU_HOST_SYSTEM_VERSION = $(shell uname -r | awk -F. '{ print $$1 * 256 + $$2 }')
+HOST_QEMU_TARGET_SYSTEM_VERSION = $(shell echo $(BR2_TOOLCHAIN_HEADERS_AT_LEAST) | awk -F. '{ print $$1 * 256 + $$2 }')
+HOST_QEMU_COMPARE_VERSION = $(shell test $(HOST_QEMU_HOST_SYSTEM_VERSION) -ge $(HOST_QEMU_TARGET_SYSTEM_VERSION) && echo OK)
 
 #
 # The principle of qemu-user is that it emulates the instructions of
@@ -82,7 +80,7 @@ HOST_QEMU_COMPARE_VERSION_MINOR = $(shell test $(HOST_QEMU_HOST_SYSTEM_VERSION_M
 # built with kernel headers that are older or the same as the kernel
 # version running on the host machine.
 #
-ifneq ($(HOST_QEMU_COMPARE_VERSION_MAJOR)$(HOST_QEMU_COMPARE_VERSION_MINOR),OKOK)
+ifneq ($(HOST_QEMU_COMPARE_VERSION),OK)
 $(error "Refusing to build qemu-user: target Linux version newer than host's.")
 endif
 endif