diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index b65cfe3bcba80a657a67c176bd284f2306b8c869..1e7f134dac0d038dd1c603977ec84d3e21977343 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -612,13 +612,6 @@ else
 include/config/auto.conf: ;
 endif # $(dot-config)
 
-# For the kernel to actually contain only the needed exported symbols,
-# we have to build modules as well to determine what those symbols are.
-# (this can be evaluated only once include/config/auto.conf has been included)
-ifdef CONFIG_TRIM_UNUSED_KSYMS
-  KBUILD_MODULES := 1
-endif
-
 # The all: target is the default when no target is given on the
 # command line.
 # This allow a user to issue only 'make' to build a kernel including modules
@@ -1019,6 +1012,13 @@ ifdef CONFIG_TRIM_UNUSED_KSYMS
 	  "$(MAKE) -f $(srctree)/Makefile vmlinux"
 endif
 
+# For the kernel to actually contain only the needed exported symbols,
+# we have to build modules as well to determine what those symbols are.
+# (this can be evaluated only once include/config/auto.conf has been included)
+ifdef CONFIG_TRIM_UNUSED_KSYMS
+  KBUILD_MODULES := 1
+endif
+
 autoksyms_h := $(if $(CONFIG_TRIM_UNUSED_KSYMS), include/generated/autoksyms.h)
 
 $(autoksyms_h):