diff --git a/Documentation/kbuild/makefiles.rst b/Documentation/kbuild/makefiles.rst
index 14d8e7d23c04..b81b8913a5a3 100644
--- a/Documentation/kbuild/makefiles.rst
+++ b/Documentation/kbuild/makefiles.rst
@@ -749,6 +749,10 @@ Both possibilities are described in the following.
 		hostprogs     := lxdialog
 		always-y      := $(hostprogs)
 
+	Kbuild provides the following shorthand for this:
+
+		hostprogs-always-y := lxdialog
+
 	This will tell kbuild to build lxdialog even if not referenced in
 	any rule.
 
@@ -831,7 +835,32 @@ The syntax is quite similar. The difference is to use "userprogs" instead of
 5.4 When userspace programs are actually built
 ----------------------------------------------
 
-	Same as "When host programs are actually built".
+	Kbuild builds userspace programs only when told to do so.
+	There are two ways to do this.
+
+	(1) Add it as the prerequisite of another file
+
+	Example::
+
+		#net/bpfilter/Makefile
+		userprogs := bpfilter_umh
+		$(obj)/bpfilter_umh_blob.o: $(obj)/bpfilter_umh
+
+	$(obj)/bpfilter_umh is built before $(obj)/bpfilter_umh_blob.o
+
+	(2) Use always-y
+
+	Example::
+
+		userprogs := binderfs_example
+		always-y := $(userprogs)
+
+	Kbuild provides the following shorthand for this:
+
+		userprogs-always-y := binderfs_example
+
+	This will tell Kbuild to build binderfs_example when it visits this
+	Makefile.
 
 6 Kbuild clean infrastructure
 =============================
diff --git a/samples/auxdisplay/Makefile b/samples/auxdisplay/Makefile
index dbdf939af94a..19d5568938c3 100644
--- a/samples/auxdisplay/Makefile
+++ b/samples/auxdisplay/Makefile
@@ -1,3 +1,2 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0
-userprogs := cfag12864b-example
-always-y := $(userprogs)
+userprogs-always-y += cfag12864b-example
diff --git a/samples/binderfs/Makefile b/samples/binderfs/Makefile
index 989e4badaee2..629e43b9b129 100644
--- a/samples/binderfs/Makefile
+++ b/samples/binderfs/Makefile
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-only
-userprogs := binderfs_example
-always-y := $(userprogs)
+userprogs-always-y += binderfs_example
 
 userccflags += -I usr/include
diff --git a/samples/connector/Makefile b/samples/connector/Makefile
index 50cb40e09a7b..d98a9e047c11 100644
--- a/samples/connector/Makefile
+++ b/samples/connector/Makefile
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0
 obj-$(CONFIG_SAMPLE_CONNECTOR) += cn_test.o
 
-userprogs := ucon
-always-$(CONFIG_CC_CAN_LINK) := $(userprogs)
+userprogs-always-$(CONFIG_CC_CAN_LINK) += ucon
 
 userccflags += -I usr/include
diff --git a/samples/hidraw/Makefile b/samples/hidraw/Makefile
index d2c77ed60b39..594d989e5486 100644
--- a/samples/hidraw/Makefile
+++ b/samples/hidraw/Makefile
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0
-userprogs := hid-example
-always-y := $(userprogs)
+userprogs-always-y += hid-example
 
 userccflags += -I usr/include
diff --git a/samples/mei/Makefile b/samples/mei/Makefile
index 329411f82369..c54b8a0ab04e 100644
--- a/samples/mei/Makefile
+++ b/samples/mei/Makefile
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0
 # Copyright (c) 2012-2019, Intel Corporation. All rights reserved.
-
-userprogs := mei-amt-version
-always-y := $(userprogs)
+userprogs-always-y += mei-amt-version
 
 userccflags += -I usr/include
diff --git a/samples/pidfd/Makefile b/samples/pidfd/Makefile
index 6e5b67e648c2..9754e2d81f70 100644
--- a/samples/pidfd/Makefile
+++ b/samples/pidfd/Makefile
@@ -1,6 +1,4 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0
-
-usertprogs := pidfd-metadata
-always-y := $(userprogs)
+usertprogs-always-y += pidfd-metadata
 
 userccflags += -I usr/include
diff --git a/samples/seccomp/Makefile b/samples/seccomp/Makefile
index 75916c23e416..c85ae0ed8342 100644
--- a/samples/seccomp/Makefile
+++ b/samples/seccomp/Makefile
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0
-userprogs := bpf-fancy dropper bpf-direct user-trap
+userprogs-always-y += bpf-fancy dropper bpf-direct user-trap
 
 bpf-fancy-objs := bpf-fancy.o bpf-helper.o
 
 userccflags += -I usr/include
-
-always-y := $(userprogs)
diff --git a/samples/timers/Makefile b/samples/timers/Makefile
index 15c7ddbc8c51..e6836cdea4e2 100644
--- a/samples/timers/Makefile
+++ b/samples/timers/Makefile
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0
-userprogs := hpet_example
-always-y := $(userprogs)
+userprogs-always-y += hpet_example
 
 userccflags += -I usr/include
diff --git a/samples/uhid/Makefile b/samples/uhid/Makefile
index 9e652fc34103..0aa424ec4899 100644
--- a/samples/uhid/Makefile
+++ b/samples/uhid/Makefile
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-only
-userprogs := uhid-example
-always-y := $(userprogs)
+userprogs-always-y += uhid-example
 
 userccflags += -I usr/include
diff --git a/samples/vfs/Makefile b/samples/vfs/Makefile
index 00b6824f9237..6377a678134a 100644
--- a/samples/vfs/Makefile
+++ b/samples/vfs/Makefile
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-only
-userprogs := test-fsmount test-statx
-always-y := $(userprogs)
+userprogs-always-y += test-fsmount test-statx
 
 userccflags += -I usr/include
diff --git a/samples/watch_queue/Makefile b/samples/watch_queue/Makefile
index 792b22f593cf..c0db3a6bc524 100644
--- a/samples/watch_queue/Makefile
+++ b/samples/watch_queue/Makefile
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-only
-userprogs := watch_test
-always-y := $(userprogs)
+userprogs-always-y += watch_test
 
 userccflags += -I usr/include
diff --git a/samples/watchdog/Makefile b/samples/watchdog/Makefile
index 17384cfb387e..ab39d23dc96b 100644
--- a/samples/watchdog/Makefile
+++ b/samples/watchdog/Makefile
@@ -1,3 +1,2 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0
-userprogs := watchdog-simple
-always-y := $(userprogs)
+userprogs-always-y += watchdog-simple
diff --git a/scripts/Makefile b/scripts/Makefile
index 95ecf970c74c..bc018e4b733e 100644
--- a/scripts/Makefile
+++ b/scripts/Makefile
@@ -3,14 +3,14 @@
 # scripts contains sources for various helper programs used throughout
 # the kernel for the build process.
 
-always-$(CONFIG_BUILD_BIN2C)			+= bin2c
-always-$(CONFIG_KALLSYMS)			+= kallsyms
-always-$(BUILD_C_RECORDMCOUNT)			+= recordmcount
-always-$(CONFIG_BUILDTIME_TABLE_SORT)		+= sorttable
-always-$(CONFIG_ASN1)				+= asn1_compiler
-always-$(CONFIG_MODULE_SIG_FORMAT)		+= sign-file
-always-$(CONFIG_SYSTEM_TRUSTED_KEYRING)		+= extract-cert
-always-$(CONFIG_SYSTEM_EXTRA_CERTIFICATE)	+= insert-sys-cert
+hostprogs-always-$(CONFIG_BUILD_BIN2C)			+= bin2c
+hostprogs-always-$(CONFIG_KALLSYMS)			+= kallsyms
+hostprogs-always-$(BUILD_C_RECORDMCOUNT)		+= recordmcount
+hostprogs-always-$(CONFIG_BUILDTIME_TABLE_SORT)		+= sorttable
+hostprogs-always-$(CONFIG_ASN1)				+= asn1_compiler
+hostprogs-always-$(CONFIG_MODULE_SIG_FORMAT)		+= sign-file
+hostprogs-always-$(CONFIG_SYSTEM_TRUSTED_KEYRING)	+= extract-cert
+hostprogs-always-$(CONFIG_SYSTEM_EXTRA_CERTIFICATE)	+= insert-sys-cert
 
 HOSTCFLAGS_sorttable.o = -I$(srctree)/tools/include
 HOSTCFLAGS_asn1_compiler.o = -I$(srctree)/include
@@ -26,8 +26,6 @@ HOSTCFLAGS_sorttable.o += -DUNWINDER_ORC_ENABLED
 HOSTLDLIBS_sorttable = -lpthread
 endif
 
-hostprogs := $(always-y) $(always-m)
-
 # The following programs are only built on demand
 hostprogs += unifdef
 
diff --git a/scripts/Makefile.clean b/scripts/Makefile.clean
index 3cdf31218198..d9e0ceace6a6 100644
--- a/scripts/Makefile.clean
+++ b/scripts/Makefile.clean
@@ -27,9 +27,15 @@ subdir-ymn	:= $(addprefix $(obj)/,$(subdir-ymn))
 # build a list of files to remove, usually relative to the current
 # directory
 
-__clean-files	:= $(extra-y) $(extra-m) $(extra-)       \
-		   $(always) $(always-y) $(always-m) $(always-) $(targets) $(clean-files)   \
-		   $(hostprogs) $(hostprogs-y) $(hostprogs-m) $(hostprogs-) $(userprogs)
+__clean-files	:= \
+	$(clean-files) $(targets) $(hostprogs) $(userprogs) \
+	$(extra-y) $(extra-m) $(extra-) \
+	$(always-y) $(always-m) $(always-) \
+	$(hostprogs-always-y) $(hostprogs-always-m) $(hostprogs-always-) \
+	$(userprogs-always-y) $(userprogs-always-m) $(userprogs-always-)
+
+# deprecated
+__clean-files	+= $(always) $(hostprogs-y) $(hostprogs-m) $(hostprogs-)
 
 __clean-files   := $(filter-out $(no-clean-files), $(__clean-files))
 
diff --git a/scripts/Makefile.lib b/scripts/Makefile.lib
index 5cfd377778b4..841ac038132b 100644
--- a/scripts/Makefile.lib
+++ b/scripts/Makefile.lib
@@ -68,6 +68,17 @@ real-obj-m := $(foreach m, $(obj-m), $(if $(strip $($(m:.o=-objs)) $($(m:.o=-y))
 
 always-y += $(always-m)
 
+# hostprogs-always-y += foo
+# ... is a shorthand for
+# hostprogs += foo
+# always-y  += foo
+hostprogs += $(hostprogs-always-y) $(hostprogs-always-m)
+always-y += $(hostprogs-always-y) $(hostprogs-always-m)
+
+# userprogs-always-y is likewise.
+userprogs += $(userprogs-always-y) $(userprogs-always-m)
+always-y += $(userprogs-always-y) $(userprogs-always-m)
+
 # DTB
 # If CONFIG_OF_ALL_DTBS is enabled, all DT blobs are built
 extra-y				+= $(dtb-y)
diff --git a/scripts/basic/Makefile b/scripts/basic/Makefile
index 290dd27d2809..eeb6a38c5551 100644
--- a/scripts/basic/Makefile
+++ b/scripts/basic/Makefile
@@ -2,5 +2,4 @@
 #
 # fixdep: used to generate dependency information during build process
 
-hostprogs	:= fixdep
-always-y	:= $(hostprogs)
+hostprogs-always-y	+= fixdep
diff --git a/scripts/dtc/Makefile b/scripts/dtc/Makefile
index 0b44917f981c..a698ece43fff 100644
--- a/scripts/dtc/Makefile
+++ b/scripts/dtc/Makefile
@@ -1,9 +1,8 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0
 # scripts/dtc makefile
 
-hostprogs			:= dtc
-always-$(CONFIG_DTC)		+= $(hostprogs)
-always-$(CHECK_DT_BINDING)	+= $(hostprogs)
+hostprogs-always-$(CONFIG_DTC)		+= dtc
+hostprogs-always-$(CHECK_DT_BINDING)	+= dtc
 
 dtc-objs	:= dtc.o flattree.o fstree.o data.o livetree.o treesource.o \
 		   srcpos.o checks.o util.o
diff --git a/scripts/genksyms/Makefile b/scripts/genksyms/Makefile
index d328de1e10ee..ce4f99935de5 100644
--- a/scripts/genksyms/Makefile
+++ b/scripts/genksyms/Makefile
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0
 
-hostprogs	:= genksyms
-always-y	:= $(hostprogs)
+hostprogs-always-y	+= genksyms
 
 genksyms-objs	:= genksyms.o parse.tab.o lex.lex.o
 
diff --git a/scripts/mod/Makefile b/scripts/mod/Makefile
index 296b6a3878b2..78071681d924 100644
--- a/scripts/mod/Makefile
+++ b/scripts/mod/Makefile
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0
 OBJECT_FILES_NON_STANDARD := y
 
-hostprogs	:= modpost mk_elfconfig
-always-y	:= $(hostprogs) empty.o
+hostprogs-always-y	+= modpost mk_elfconfig
+always-y		+= empty.o
 
 modpost-objs	:= modpost.o file2alias.o sumversion.o
 
diff --git a/scripts/selinux/genheaders/Makefile b/scripts/selinux/genheaders/Makefile
index 70cf8d95d07c..1faf7f07e8db 100644
--- a/scripts/selinux/genheaders/Makefile
+++ b/scripts/selinux/genheaders/Makefile
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0
-hostprogs	:= genheaders
+hostprogs-always-y += genheaders
 HOST_EXTRACFLAGS += \
 	-I$(srctree)/include/uapi -I$(srctree)/include \
 	-I$(srctree)/security/selinux/include
-
-always-y	:= $(hostprogs)
diff --git a/scripts/selinux/mdp/Makefile b/scripts/selinux/mdp/Makefile
index 3026f3c2aa2b..d61058ddd15c 100644
--- a/scripts/selinux/mdp/Makefile
+++ b/scripts/selinux/mdp/Makefile
@@ -1,8 +1,7 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0
-hostprogs	:= mdp
+hostprogs-always-y += mdp
 HOST_EXTRACFLAGS += \
 	-I$(srctree)/include/uapi -I$(srctree)/include \
 	-I$(srctree)/security/selinux/include -I$(objtree)/include
 
-always-y	:= $(hostprogs)
 clean-files	:= policy.* file_contexts