diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 8ca9e0b114f1..060874d85e0d 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -225,7 +225,8 @@ no-dot-config-targets := $(clean-targets) \
 			 cscope gtags TAGS tags help% %docs check% coccicheck \
 			 $(version_h) headers_% archheaders archscripts \
 			 kernelversion %src-pkg
-no-sync-config-targets := $(no-dot-config-targets) install %install
+no-sync-config-targets := $(no-dot-config-targets) install %install \
+			   kernelrelease
 
 config-targets  := 0
 mixed-targets   := 0