diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index e43285786102..b74a6e9cefc8 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1072,7 +1072,7 @@ $(sort $(vmlinux-deps)): $(vmlinux-dirs) ;
 
 PHONY += $(vmlinux-dirs)
 $(vmlinux-dirs): prepare
-	$(Q)$(MAKE) $(build)=$@ need-builtin=1
+	$(Q)$(MAKE) $(build)=$@ need-builtin=1 need-modorder=1
 
 filechk_kernel.release = \
 	echo "$(KERNELVERSION)$$($(CONFIG_SHELL) $(srctree)/scripts/setlocalversion $(srctree))"
@@ -1616,7 +1616,7 @@ $(objtree)/Module.symvers:
 module-dirs := $(addprefix _module_,$(KBUILD_EXTMOD))
 PHONY += $(module-dirs) modules
 $(module-dirs): prepare $(objtree)/Module.symvers
-	$(Q)$(MAKE) $(build)=$(patsubst _module_%,%,$@)
+	$(Q)$(MAKE) $(build)=$(patsubst _module_%,%,$@) need-modorder=1
 
 modules: $(module-dirs)
 	@$(kecho) '  Building modules, stage 2.';
diff --git a/scripts/Makefile.build b/scripts/Makefile.build
index 5829ccbc7dd0..631bb89524de 100644
--- a/scripts/Makefile.build
+++ b/scripts/Makefile.build
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ ifneq ($(strip $(real-obj-y) $(need-builtin)),)
 builtin-target := $(obj)/built-in.a
 endif
 
-ifdef CONFIG_MODULES
+ifeq ($(CONFIG_MODULES)$(need-modorder),y1)
 modorder-target := $(obj)/modules.order
 endif