diff --git a/include/kernel-defaults.mk b/include/kernel-defaults.mk
index c18d638337..b63092ac6b 100644
--- a/include/kernel-defaults.mk
+++ b/include/kernel-defaults.mk
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ OBJCOPY_STRIP = -R .reginfo -R .notes -R .note -R .comment -R .mdebug -R .note.g
 
 define Kernel/CompileImage/Default
 	$(if $(CONFIG_TARGET_ROOTFS_INITRAMFS),,rm -f $(TARGET_DIR)/init)
-	+$(MAKE) $(KERNEL_MAKEOPTS) $(KERNELNAME)
+	+$(MAKE) $(KERNEL_MAKEOPTS) $(subst ",,$(KERNELNAME))
 	$(KERNEL_CROSS)objcopy -O binary $(OBJCOPY_STRIP) -S $(LINUX_DIR)/vmlinux $(LINUX_KERNEL)
 	$(KERNEL_CROSS)objcopy $(OBJCOPY_STRIP) -S $(LINUX_DIR)/vmlinux $(KERNEL_BUILD_DIR)/vmlinux.elf
 endef