diff --git a/util/getversion.sh b/util/getversion.sh
index 83c42d88e5..83a1903c75 100755
--- a/util/getversion.sh
+++ b/util/getversion.sh
@@ -98,13 +98,18 @@ for git_dir in ${dir_list[@]}; do
   popd > /dev/null
 done
 
+# On some boards where the version number consists of multiple components we
+# want to separate the first word of the version string as the version of the
+# EC tree.
+IFS=' ' first_word=(${ver})
+
 echo "/* This file is generated by util/getversion.sh */"
 
 echo "/* Version string for use by common/version.c */"
 echo "#define CROS_EC_VERSION \"${ver}\""
 
 echo "/* Version string, truncated to 31 chars (+ terminating null = 32) */"
-echo "#define CROS_EC_VERSION32 \"${ver:0:31}\""
+echo "#define CROS_EC_VERSION32 \"${first_word:0:31}\""
 
 echo "/* Sub-fields for use in Makefile.rules and to form build info string"
 echo " * in common/version.c. */"