diff --git a/compiler/Makefile b/compiler/Makefile
index 5e6fff6144..d3879179a7 100644
--- a/compiler/Makefile
+++ b/compiler/Makefile
@@ -633,7 +633,12 @@ REVSTR:=$(REVSTR)-$(word 4,$(subst -, ,$(GITDESCRIBE)))
 export REVSTR
   else
    ifneq ($(SVNVERSION),)
-REVSTR:=$(subst r,,$(subst r1:,,r$(subst exported,,$(shell $(SVNVERSION) -c .))))
+SVNVERSTR:=$(shell $(SVNVERSION) -c .)
+    ifneq ($(words $(SVNVERSTR)),1)
+REVSTR:=$(subst $() $(),_,$(SVNVERSTR))
+    else
+REVSTR:=$(subst r,,$(subst r1:,,r$(subst exported,,$(SVNVERSTR))))
+    endif
 export REVSTR
    endif
   endif
diff --git a/compiler/Makefile.fpc b/compiler/Makefile.fpc
index 119db27421..9ba96112b3 100644
--- a/compiler/Makefile.fpc
+++ b/compiler/Makefile.fpc
@@ -357,7 +357,12 @@ REVSTR:=$(REVSTR)-$(word 4,$(subst -, ,$(GITDESCRIBE)))
 export REVSTR
   else
    ifneq ($(SVNVERSION),)
-REVSTR:=$(subst r,,$(subst r1:,,r$(subst exported,,$(shell $(SVNVERSION) -c .))))
+SVNVERSTR:=$(shell $(SVNVERSION) -c .)
+    ifneq ($(words $(SVNVERSTR)),1)
+REVSTR:=$(subst $() $(),_,$(SVNVERSTR))
+    else
+REVSTR:=$(subst r,,$(subst r1:,,r$(subst exported,,$(SVNVERSTR))))
+    endif
 export REVSTR
    endif
   endif