diff --git a/scripts/Kbuild.include b/scripts/Kbuild.include
index 2c7918ad372..13ebddda65c 100644
--- a/scripts/Kbuild.include
+++ b/scripts/Kbuild.include
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ quote   := "
 squote  := '
 empty   :=
 space   := $(empty) $(empty)
+pound := \#
 
 ###
 # Name of target with a '.' as filename prefix. foo/bar.o => foo/.bar.o
@@ -242,11 +243,11 @@ endif
 
 # Replace >$< with >$$< to preserve $ when reloading the .cmd file
 # (needed for make)
-# Replace >#< with >\#< to avoid starting a comment in the .cmd file
+# Replace >#< with >$(pound)< to avoid starting a comment in the .cmd file
 # (needed for make)
 # Replace >'< with >'\''< to be able to enclose the whole string in '...'
 # (needed for the shell)
-make-cmd = $(call escsq,$(subst \#,\\\#,$(subst $$,$$$$,$(cmd_$(1)))))
+make-cmd = $(call escsq,$(subst $(pound),$$(pound),$(subst $$,$$$$,$(cmd_$(1)))))
 
 # Find any prerequisites that is newer than target or that does not exist.
 # PHONY targets skipped in both cases.
diff --git a/scripts/Makefile.lib b/scripts/Makefile.lib
index 12d1123a07a..a384b41898f 100644
--- a/scripts/Makefile.lib
+++ b/scripts/Makefile.lib
@@ -308,7 +308,7 @@ quiet_cmd_dtc = DTC     $@
 # Modified for U-Boot
 # Bring in any U-Boot-specific include at the end of the file
 cmd_dtc = mkdir -p $(dir ${dtc-tmp}) ; \
-	(cat $<; $(if $(u_boot_dtsi),echo '\#include "$(u_boot_dtsi)"')) > $(pre-tmp); \
+	(cat $<; $(if $(u_boot_dtsi),echo '$(pound)include "$(u_boot_dtsi)"')) > $(pre-tmp); \
 	$(CPP) $(dtc_cpp_flags) -x assembler-with-cpp -o $(dtc-tmp) $(pre-tmp) ; \
 	$(DTC) -O dtb -o $@ -b 0 \
 		-i $(dir $<) $(DTC_FLAGS) \