diff --git a/common/version.c b/common/version.c
index 79b2a54..51d4d48 100644
--- a/common/version.c
+++ b/common/version.c
@@ -6,6 +6,10 @@
 	"barebox " UTS_RELEASE " " UTS_VERSION "\n";
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(version_string);
 
+const char release_string[] =
+	"barebox-" UTS_RELEASE;
+EXPORT_SYMBOL(release_string);
+
 void barebox_banner (void)
 {
 	pr_info("\n\n%s\n\n", version_string);
diff --git a/include/common.h b/include/common.h
index e7ab5fe..ca817aa 100644
--- a/include/common.h
+++ b/include/common.h
@@ -259,6 +259,7 @@
 #define RW_BUF_SIZE	(unsigned)4096
 
 extern const char version_string[];
+extern const char release_string[];
 #ifdef CONFIG_BANNER
 void barebox_banner(void);
 #else