diff --git a/arch/lkl/Makefile b/arch/lkl/Makefile
index 3fc7e963f90dc9..34fc1bcde5c9a8 100644
--- a/arch/lkl/Makefile
+++ b/arch/lkl/Makefile
@@ -36,7 +36,8 @@ lkl.o: vmlinux
 
 arch/lkl/include/generated/uapi/asm/syscall_defs.h: vmlinux
 	$(OBJCOPY) -j .syscall_defs -O binary --set-section-flags .syscall_defs=alloc $< $@
-	sed -i 's/\x0//g' $@
+	$(Q) export tmpfile=$(shell mktemp); \
+	sed 's/\x0//g' $@ > $$tmpfile; mv $$tmpfile $@ ; rm -f $$tmpfile
 
 install: lkl.o __headers arch/lkl/include/generated/uapi/asm/syscall_defs.h
 	@echo "  INSTALL	$(INSTALL_PATH)/lib/lkl.o"