diff --git a/scripts/dtc/pylibfdt/Makefile b/scripts/dtc/pylibfdt/Makefile
index a7579f0..e442d5c 100644
--- a/scripts/dtc/pylibfdt/Makefile
+++ b/scripts/dtc/pylibfdt/Makefile
@@ -13,11 +13,14 @@
 PYLIBFDT_srcs = $(addprefix $(LIBFDT_srcdir)/,$(LIBFDT_SRCS)) \
 		$(obj)/libfdt.i
 
+# create a version string compliant with PEP 440
+PEP_VERSION = $(VERSION)$(if $(PATCHLEVEL),.$(PATCHLEVEL)$(if $(SUBLEVEL),.$(SUBLEVEL)))$(subst -,,$(EXTRAVERSION))
+
 quiet_cmd_pymod = PYMOD   $@
       cmd_pymod = unset CROSS_COMPILE; unset CFLAGS; \
 		CC="$(HOSTCC)" LDSHARED="$(HOSTCC) -shared " \
 		LDFLAGS="$(HOSTLDFLAGS)" \
-		VERSION="$(UBOOTVERSION)" \
+		VERSION="$(PEP_VERSION)" \
 		CPPFLAGS="$(HOSTCFLAGS) -I$(LIBFDT_srcdir)" OBJDIR=$(obj) \
 		SOURCES="$(PYLIBFDT_srcs)" \
 		SWIG_OPTS="-I$(LIBFDT_srcdir) -I$(LIBFDT_srcdir)/.." \