diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index a28bb374663d2cb0ae7f462370bb0173b0ef1388..f1093b9727085798ec5633efaf62dc4a85406dc3 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -396,9 +396,6 @@ endif
 KCONFIG_CONFIG	?= .config
 export KCONFIG_CONFIG
 
-# Default file for 'make defconfig'. This may be overridden by arch-Makefile.
-export KBUILD_DEFCONFIG := defconfig
-
 # SHELL used by kbuild
 CONFIG_SHELL := sh
 
diff --git a/scripts/kconfig/Makefile b/scripts/kconfig/Makefile
index 31c5735663c8bb3acaa9ea74868e7423c1e5c580..7df3c0e4c52e13fb9b6fcd2526ddc6ff09ddb822 100644
--- a/scripts/kconfig/Makefile
+++ b/scripts/kconfig/Makefile
@@ -9,6 +9,10 @@ else
 Kconfig := Kconfig
 endif
 
+ifndef KBUILD_DEFCONFIG
+KBUILD_DEFCONFIG := defconfig
+endif
+
 ifeq ($(quiet),silent_)
 silent := -s
 endif