diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 63e10bd..57a013d 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -84,17 +84,10 @@
 # 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