--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ regular_CFLAGS="-Wall -Waggregate-return
 
 AS_IF([test -n "$kbuilddir"], [
 	AC_MSG_CHECKING([kernel version that we will build against])
-	krel="$(make -sC "$kbuilddir" M=$PWD kernelrelease | $AWK -v 'FS=[[^0-9.]]' '{print $1; exit}')"
+	krel="$(make -sC "$kbuilddir" M=$PWD kernelversion | $AWK -v 'FS=[[^0-9.]]' '{print $1; exit}')"
 	save_IFS="$IFS"
 	IFS='.'
 	set x $krel