diff --git a/target/imagebuilder/Makefile b/target/imagebuilder/Makefile
index 8a7c2093b9..13eed7e108 100644
--- a/target/imagebuilder/Makefile
+++ b/target/imagebuilder/Makefile
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ endif
 		$(PKG_BUILD_DIR)/target/linux/*/patches{,-*}
 	-cp $(KERNEL_BUILD_DIR)/* $(IB_KDIR)/ # don't copy subdirectories here
 	-cp $(LINUX_DIR)/.config $(IB_LDIR)/
+	rm -f $(IB_KDIR)/root.*
 	if [ -x $(LINUX_DIR)/scripts/dtc/dtc ]; then \
 		$(INSTALL_DIR) $(IB_LDIR)/scripts/dtc; \
 		$(INSTALL_BIN) $(LINUX_DIR)/scripts/dtc/dtc $(IB_LDIR)/scripts/dtc/dtc; \