diff --git a/build_debian.sh b/build_debian.sh
index 5b58358e017c..d2eaa43b3c46 100755
--- a/build_debian.sh
+++ b/build_debian.sh
@@ -116,11 +116,8 @@ sudo dpkg --root=$FILESYSTEM_ROOT -i target/debs/linux-image-3.16.0-4-amd64_*.de
 ## Update initramfs for booting with squashfs+aufs
 cat files/initramfs-tools/modules | sudo tee -a $FILESYSTEM_ROOT/etc/initramfs-tools/modules > /dev/null
 
-IMAGE_VERSION=$(. functions.sh && sonic_get_version)
-
 ## Hook into initramfs: change fs type from vfat to ext4 on arista switches
 sudo mkdir -p $FILESYSTEM_ROOT/etc/initramfs-tools/scripts/init-premount/
-sed -i -e "s/%%IMAGE_VERSION%%/$IMAGE_VERSION/g" files/initramfs-tools/arista-convertfs
 sudo cp files/initramfs-tools/arista-convertfs $FILESYSTEM_ROOT/etc/initramfs-tools/scripts/init-premount/arista-convertfs
 sudo chmod +x $FILESYSTEM_ROOT/etc/initramfs-tools/scripts/init-premount/arista-convertfs
 sudo cp files/initramfs-tools/mke2fs $FILESYSTEM_ROOT/etc/initramfs-tools/hooks/mke2fs
diff --git a/functions.sh b/functions.sh
index 8ca3d5422340..c73aeb45d649 100644
--- a/functions.sh
+++ b/functions.sh
@@ -59,9 +59,10 @@ sonic_get_version() {
     fi
     BUILD_NUMBER=${BUILD_NUMBER:-0}
     ## Check if we are on tagged commit
+    ## Note: escape the version string by sed: / -> _
     if [ "$describe" == "$latest_tag" ]; then
-        echo "${latest_tag}${dirty}"
+        echo "${latest_tag}${dirty}" | sed 's/\//_/g'
     else
-        echo "${branch_name}.${BUILD_NUMBER}${dirty:--$(git rev-parse --short HEAD)}"
+        echo "${branch_name}.${BUILD_NUMBER}${dirty:--$(git rev-parse --short HEAD)}" | sed 's/\//_/g'
     fi
 }