diff --git a/linux/linux.mk b/linux/linux.mk
index b90b032bb9..20c268b2f7 100644
--- a/linux/linux.mk
+++ b/linux/linux.mk
@@ -160,7 +160,8 @@ endif
 
 # Get the real Linux version, which tells us where kernel modules are
 # going to be installed in the target filesystem.
-LINUX_VERSION_PROBED = `$(MAKE) $(LINUX_MAKE_FLAGS) -C $(LINUX_DIR) --no-print-directory -s kernelrelease 2>/dev/null`
+# Filter out 'w' from MAKEFLAGS, to workaround a bug in make 4.1 (#13141)
+LINUX_VERSION_PROBED = `MAKEFLAGS='$(filter-out w,$(MAKEFLAGS))' $(MAKE) $(LINUX_MAKE_FLAGS) -C $(LINUX_DIR) --no-print-directory -s kernelrelease 2>/dev/null`
 
 LINUX_DTS_NAME += $(call qstrip,$(BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_INTREE_DTS_NAME))