diff --git a/scripts/Makefile.modpost b/scripts/Makefile.modpost
index ad4b9829a456..c856512349cd 100644
--- a/scripts/Makefile.modpost
+++ b/scripts/Makefile.modpost
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ modpost = scripts/mod/modpost                    \
  $(if $(CONFIG_MODULE_SRCVERSION_ALL),-a,)       \
  $(if $(KBUILD_EXTMOD),-i,-o) $(kernelsymfile)   \
  $(if $(KBUILD_EXTMOD),-I $(modulesymfile))      \
- $(if $(KBUILD_EXTRA_SYMBOLS), $(patsubst %, -e %,$(KBUILD_EXTRA_SYMBOLS))) \
+ $(if $(KBUILD_EXTMOD),$(addprefix -e ,$(KBUILD_EXTRA_SYMBOLS))) \
  $(if $(KBUILD_EXTMOD),-o $(modulesymfile))      \
  $(if $(CONFIG_SECTION_MISMATCH_WARN_ONLY),,-E)  \
  $(if $(KBUILD_MODPOST_WARN),-w)