diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 6b8e9fca2752..a8d8ed711f9b 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -675,14 +675,19 @@ print_env_for_makefile = \
 	echo "export KBUILD_OUTPUT = $(CURDIR)"
 endif
 
-quiet_cmd_makefile = GEN     Makefile
-      cmd_makefile = { \
+filechk_makefile = { \
 	echo "\# Automatically generated by $(abs_srctree)/Makefile: don't edit"; \
 	$(print_env_for_makefile); \
 	echo "include $(abs_srctree)/Makefile"; \
-	} > Makefile
+	}
 
-outputmakefile:
+$(objtree)/Makefile: FORCE
+	$(call filechk,makefile)
+
+# Prevent $(srcroot)/Makefile from inhibiting the rule to run.
+PHONY += $(objtree)/Makefile
+
+outputmakefile: $(objtree)/Makefile
 ifeq ($(KBUILD_EXTMOD),)
 	@if [ -f $(srctree)/.config -o \
 		 -d $(srctree)/include/config -o \
@@ -703,7 +708,6 @@ else
 	fi
 endif
 	$(Q)ln -fsn $(srcroot) source
-	$(call cmd,makefile)
 	$(Q)test -e .gitignore || \
 	{ echo "# this is build directory, ignore it"; echo "*"; } > .gitignore
 endif