diff --git a/include/kernel-defaults.mk b/include/kernel-defaults.mk
index 1cb8b445e9..8075079d70 100644
--- a/include/kernel-defaults.mk
+++ b/include/kernel-defaults.mk
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ define Kernel/Configure/Default
 	$(SCRIPT_DIR)/kconfig.pl 'm+' '+' $(LINUX_DIR)/.config.target /dev/null $(LINUX_DIR)/.config.override > $(LINUX_DIR)/.config
 	$(call Kernel/SetInitramfs)
 	rm -rf $(KERNEL_BUILD_DIR)/modules
-	$(MAKE) $(KERNEL_MAKEOPTS) INSTALL_HDR_PATH=$(LINUX_DIR)/user_headers headers_install
+	[ -d $(LINUX_DIR)/user_headers ] || $(MAKE) $(KERNEL_MAKEOPTS) INSTALL_HDR_PATH=$(LINUX_DIR)/user_headers headers_install
 	$(SH_FUNC) grep '=[ym]' $(LINUX_DIR)/.config | LC_ALL=C sort | md5s > $(LINUX_DIR)/.vermagic
 endef