diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 2258e906f01c..87b9dd8a163b 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ modules.order
 /linux
 /vmlinux
 /vmlinux.32
+/vmlinux.symvers
 /vmlinux-gdb.py
 /vmlinuz
 /System.map
diff --git a/Documentation/dontdiff b/Documentation/dontdiff
index 72fc2e9e2b63..ef9519c32c55 100644
--- a/Documentation/dontdiff
+++ b/Documentation/dontdiff
@@ -251,6 +251,7 @@ vmlinux-*
 vmlinux.aout
 vmlinux.bin.all
 vmlinux.lds
+vmlinux.symvers
 vmlinuz
 voffset.h
 vsyscall.lds
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index b0bbf8453b66..9768140f8d5a 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1416,7 +1416,7 @@ endif # CONFIG_MODULES
 # make distclean Remove editor backup files, patch leftover files and the like
 
 # Directories & files removed with 'make clean'
-CLEAN_FILES += include/ksym \
+CLEAN_FILES += include/ksym vmlinux.symvers \
 	       modules.builtin modules.builtin.modinfo modules.nsdeps
 
 # Directories & files removed with 'make mrproper'
diff --git a/scripts/Makefile.modpost b/scripts/Makefile.modpost
index 79e850c8ce01..896c799911c5 100644
--- a/scripts/Makefile.modpost
+++ b/scripts/Makefile.modpost
@@ -55,10 +55,10 @@ ifdef MODPOST_VMLINUX
 quiet_cmd_modpost = MODPOST $@
       cmd_modpost = $(MODPOST) $<
 
-Module.symvers: vmlinux.o
+vmlinux.symvers: vmlinux.o
 	$(call cmd,modpost)
 
-__modpost: Module.symvers
+__modpost: vmlinux.symvers
 
 else
 
@@ -66,7 +66,8 @@ MODPOST += -s \
 	$(if $(KBUILD_NSDEPS),-d $(MODULES_NSDEPS))
 
 ifeq ($(KBUILD_EXTMOD),)
-MODPOST += $(wildcard vmlinux)
+
+input-symdump := vmlinux.symvers
 output-symdump := Module.symvers
 
 else
diff --git a/scripts/link-vmlinux.sh b/scripts/link-vmlinux.sh
index d09ab4afbda4..d5af6be50b50 100755
--- a/scripts/link-vmlinux.sh
+++ b/scripts/link-vmlinux.sh
@@ -218,8 +218,6 @@ on_signals()
 }
 trap on_signals HUP INT QUIT TERM
 
-#
-#
 # Use "make V=1" to debug this script
 case "${KBUILD_VERBOSE}" in
 *1*)