diff --git a/package/pkg-generic.mk b/package/pkg-generic.mk
index f09f83e6e1..259ee02801 100644
--- a/package/pkg-generic.mk
+++ b/package/pkg-generic.mk
@@ -318,15 +318,15 @@ $(2)_RAWNAME			=  $$(patsubst host-%,%,$(1))
 # version control system branch or tag, for example remotes/origin/1_10_stable.
 ifndef $(2)_VERSION
  ifdef $(3)_VERSION
-  $(2)_DL_VERSION := $$($(3)_VERSION)
-  $(2)_VERSION := $$(subst /,_,$$($(3)_VERSION))
+  $(2)_DL_VERSION := $$(strip $$($(3)_VERSION))
+  $(2)_VERSION := $$(subst /,_,$$(strip $$($(3)_VERSION)))
  else
   $(2)_VERSION = undefined
   $(2)_DL_VERSION = undefined
  endif
 else
-  $(2)_DL_VERSION := $$($(2)_VERSION)
-  $(2)_VERSION := $$(subst /,_,$$($(2)_VERSION))
+  $(2)_DL_VERSION := $$(strip $$($(2)_VERSION))
+  $(2)_VERSION := $$(strip $$(subst /,_,$$($(2)_VERSION)))
 endif
 
 $(2)_BASE_NAME	=  $(1)-$$($(2)_VERSION)