diff --git a/internal/util/util.go b/internal/util/util.go
index bb4163486..b8e1b387a 100644
--- a/internal/util/util.go
+++ b/internal/util/util.go
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ func KernelVersion() (string, error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return "", err
 	}
-	return string(utsname.Release[:]), nil
+	return strings.TrimRight(string(utsname.Release[:]), "\x00"), nil
 }
 
 // GenerateVolID generates a volume ID based on passed in parameters and version, to be returned
diff --git a/internal/util/util_test.go b/internal/util/util_test.go
index a8451883c..52a113218 100644
--- a/internal/util/util_test.go
+++ b/internal/util/util_test.go
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ limitations under the License.
 package util
 
 import (
+	"strings"
 	"testing"
 )
 
@@ -151,4 +152,7 @@ func TestKernelVersion(t *testing.T) {
 	if version == "" {
 		t.Error("version is empty, this is unexpected?!")
 	}
+	if strings.HasSuffix(version, "\x00") {
+		t.Error("version ends with \\x00 byte(s)")
+	}
 }