diff --git a/package/network/services/dropbear/Makefile b/package/network/services/dropbear/Makefile
index 36bcb4ab7b6c57460cd15da1bcc130af62e32bc6..b80f4d5c81ca1627b46fa2fd2f75be27cff47bf6 100644
--- a/package/network/services/dropbear/Makefile
+++ b/package/network/services/dropbear/Makefile
@@ -105,6 +105,10 @@ define Build/Configure
 	  mv $(PKG_BUILD_DIR)/options.h.new $(PKG_BUILD_DIR)/options.h || exit 1; \
 	done
 
+	# remove protocol idented software version number
+	$(SED) 's,^#define LOCAL_IDENT .*$$$$,#define LOCAL_IDENT "SSH-2.0-dropbear",g' \
+		$(PKG_BUILD_DIR)/sysoptions.h
+
 	# Enforce rebuild of svr-chansession.c
 	rm -f $(PKG_BUILD_DIR)/svr-chansession.o
 endef