diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index c054bc6356..45706375b2 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ qemu-version.h: FORCE
 				printf '""\n'; \
 			fi; \
 		fi) > $@.tmp)
-	$(call quiet-command, cmp --quiet $@ $@.tmp || mv $@.tmp $@)
+	$(call quiet-command, cmp -s $@ $@.tmp || mv $@.tmp $@)
 
 config-host.h: config-host.h-timestamp
 config-host.h-timestamp: config-host.mak