diff -upk.orig modutils-2.4.27.orig/depmod/depmod.c modutils-2.4.27/depmod/depmod.c
--- modutils-2.4.27.orig/depmod/depmod.c	2005-10-26 15:06:29 +0000
+++ modutils-2.4.27/depmod/depmod.c	2005-10-26 15:16:15 +0000
@@ -1184,6 +1184,18 @@ char *shortname(const char *name)
 	return(s);
 }
 
+static const char *cut_prefix(const char *prefix, const char *sample)
+{
+	const char *s = sample;
+	for (; (*prefix && *s) && (*prefix == *s); ++prefix, ++s)
+		;
+
+	if (!*prefix && (!*s || *s == '/'))
+		return s;
+
+	return sample;
+}
+
 /*
  *	Format the dependancy list of a module into a simple makefile.
  *	Print the dependancies in the depfile (or stdout if nflag is true).
@@ -1212,7 +1224,6 @@ static int prtdepend(char *base_dir, int
 	MODULE *ptmod;
 	int i;
 	int ret = 0;
-	int skipchars;	/* For depmod -a in image of a tree */
 
 	if (!nflag) {
 		dep = gen_file_open(gen_file+GEN_DEPFILE);
@@ -1225,7 +1236,6 @@ static int prtdepend(char *base_dir, int
 		pnpbiosmap = gen_file_open(gen_file+GEN_PNPBIOSMAPFILE);
 	}
 
-	skipchars = strlen(base_dir);
 	tbdep = (MODULE **)alloca(sizeof(MODULE) * n_modules);
 
 	ptmod = modules;
@@ -1277,13 +1287,13 @@ static int prtdepend(char *base_dir, int
 				errors = save_errors;
 			}
 		}
-		verbose("%s\n", ptmod->name + skipchars);
+		verbose("%s\n", cut_prefix(base_dir, ptmod->name));
 
-		fprintf(dep, "%s:", ptmod->name + skipchars);
+		fprintf(dep, "%s:", cut_prefix(base_dir, ptmod->name));
 		for (m = 0; m < nbdepmod; m++) {
 			if (m != 0 /*&& (m & 3) == 0*/)
 				fprintf(dep, " \\\n");
-			fprintf(dep, "\t%s", tbdep[m]->name + skipchars);
+			fprintf(dep, "\t%s", cut_prefix(base_dir, tbdep[m]->name));
 		}
 		fprintf(dep, "\n\n");
 	}