diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 63e10bd4f14ac2..57a013dc03648e 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -84,17 +84,10 @@ endif
 # If the user is running make -s (silent mode), suppress echoing of
 # commands
 
-ifneq ($(filter 4.%,$(MAKE_VERSION)),)	# make-4
-ifneq ($(filter %s ,$(firstword x$(MAKEFLAGS))),)
+ifneq ($(findstring s,$(filter-out --%,$(MAKEFLAGS))),)
   quiet=silent_
   tools_silent=s
 endif
-else					# make-3.8x
-ifneq ($(filter s% -s%,$(MAKEFLAGS)),)
-  quiet=silent_
-  tools_silent=-s
-endif
-endif
 
 export quiet Q KBUILD_VERBOSE
 
diff --git a/tools/build/Makefile.build b/tools/build/Makefile.build
index e279a71c650d2c..c46b20e4ad87eb 100644
--- a/tools/build/Makefile.build
+++ b/tools/build/Makefile.build
@@ -19,15 +19,9 @@ else
   Q=@
 endif
 
-ifneq ($(filter 4.%,$(MAKE_VERSION)),)	# make-4
-ifneq ($(filter %s ,$(firstword x$(MAKEFLAGS))),)
+ifneq ($(findstring s,$(filter-out --%,$(MAKEFLAGS))),)
   quiet=silent_
 endif
-else					# make-3.8x
-ifneq ($(filter s% -s%,$(MAKEFLAGS)),)
-  quiet=silent_
-endif
-endif
 
 build-dir := $(srctree)/tools/build
 
diff --git a/tools/scripts/Makefile.include b/tools/scripts/Makefile.include
index fc74db62fef4d1..ccad8ce925e427 100644
--- a/tools/scripts/Makefile.include
+++ b/tools/scripts/Makefile.include
@@ -58,15 +58,9 @@ else
 NO_SUBDIR = :
 endif
 
-ifneq ($(filter 4.%,$(MAKE_VERSION)),)  # make-4
-ifneq ($(filter %s ,$(firstword x$(MAKEFLAGS))),)
+ifneq ($(findstring s,$(filter-out --%,$(MAKEFLAGS))),)
   silent=1
 endif
-else					# make-3.8x
-ifneq ($(filter s% -s%,$(MAKEFLAGS)),)
-  silent=1
-endif
-endif
 
 #
 # Define a callable command for descending to a new directory