diff --git a/arch/arm/Makefile b/arch/arm/Makefile
index a37a50f575a2..db50b626be98 100644
--- a/arch/arm/Makefile
+++ b/arch/arm/Makefile
@@ -296,10 +296,15 @@ archprepare:
 # Convert bzImage to zImage
 bzImage: zImage
 
-zImage Image xipImage bootpImage uImage: vmlinux
+BOOT_TARGETS	= zImage Image xipImage bootpImage uImage
+INSTALL_TARGETS	= zinstall uinstall install
+
+PHONY += bzImage $(BOOT_TARGETS) $(INSTALL_TARGETS)
+
+$(BOOT_TARGETS): vmlinux
 	$(Q)$(MAKE) $(build)=$(boot) MACHINE=$(MACHINE) $(boot)/$@
 
-zinstall uinstall install: vmlinux
+$(INSTALL_TARGETS):
 	$(Q)$(MAKE) $(build)=$(boot) MACHINE=$(MACHINE) $@
 
 %.dtb: | scripts
diff --git a/arch/arm/boot/Makefile b/arch/arm/boot/Makefile
index 84aa2caf07ed..ec2f8065f955 100644
--- a/arch/arm/boot/Makefile
+++ b/arch/arm/boot/Makefile
@@ -95,24 +95,24 @@ initrd:
 	@test "$(INITRD)" != "" || \
 	(echo You must specify INITRD; exit -1)
 
-install: $(obj)/Image
-	$(CONFIG_SHELL) $(srctree)/$(src)/install.sh $(KERNELRELEASE) \
+install:
+	$(CONFIG_SHELL) $(srctree)/$(src)/install.sh "$(KERNELRELEASE)" \
 	$(obj)/Image System.map "$(INSTALL_PATH)"
 
-zinstall: $(obj)/zImage
-	$(CONFIG_SHELL) $(srctree)/$(src)/install.sh $(KERNELRELEASE) \
+zinstall:
+	$(CONFIG_SHELL) $(srctree)/$(src)/install.sh "$(KERNELRELEASE)" \
 	$(obj)/zImage System.map "$(INSTALL_PATH)"
 
-uinstall: $(obj)/uImage
-	$(CONFIG_SHELL) $(srctree)/$(src)/install.sh $(KERNELRELEASE) \
+uinstall:
+	$(CONFIG_SHELL) $(srctree)/$(src)/install.sh "$(KERNELRELEASE)" \
 	$(obj)/uImage System.map "$(INSTALL_PATH)"
 
 zi:
-	$(CONFIG_SHELL) $(srctree)/$(src)/install.sh $(KERNELRELEASE) \
+	$(CONFIG_SHELL) $(srctree)/$(src)/install.sh "$(KERNELRELEASE)" \
 	$(obj)/zImage System.map "$(INSTALL_PATH)"
 
 i:
-	$(CONFIG_SHELL) $(srctree)/$(src)/install.sh $(KERNELRELEASE) \
+	$(CONFIG_SHELL) $(srctree)/$(src)/install.sh "$(KERNELRELEASE)" \
 	$(obj)/Image System.map "$(INSTALL_PATH)"
 
 subdir-	    := bootp compressed dts
diff --git a/arch/arm/boot/install.sh b/arch/arm/boot/install.sh
index 06ea7d42ce8e..2a45092a40e3 100644
--- a/arch/arm/boot/install.sh
+++ b/arch/arm/boot/install.sh
@@ -20,6 +20,20 @@
 #   $4 - default install path (blank if root directory)
 #
 
+verify () {
+	if [ ! -f "$1" ]; then
+		echo ""                                                   1>&2
+		echo " *** Missing file: $1"                              1>&2
+		echo ' *** You need to run "make" before "make install".' 1>&2
+		echo ""                                                   1>&2
+		exit 1
+	fi
+}
+
+# Make sure the files actually exist
+verify "$2"
+verify "$3"
+
 # User may have a custom install script
 if [ -x ~/bin/${INSTALLKERNEL} ]; then exec ~/bin/${INSTALLKERNEL} "$@"; fi
 if [ -x /sbin/${INSTALLKERNEL} ]; then exec /sbin/${INSTALLKERNEL} "$@"; fi