diff --git a/include/kernel.mk b/include/kernel.mk
index dfdd277dc7..3fa576efdc 100644
--- a/include/kernel.mk
+++ b/include/kernel.mk
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ define KernelPackage
     $(call KernelPackage/$(1)/$(BOARD)-$(KERNEL))
   endef
 
-  ifneq ($(filter m,$(foreach c,$(filter-out %=y %=n %=m,$(KCONFIG)),$($(c)))),)
+  ifneq ($(if $(KCONFIG),$(filter m,$(foreach c,$(filter-out %=y %=n %=m,$(KCONFIG)),$($(c)))),.),)
     ifneq ($(strip $(FILES)),)
       define Package/kmod-$(1)/install
 		  mkdir -p $$(1)/lib/modules/$(LINUX_VERSION)