diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 2b1e37da2bb59e..0bf29dcc66fc80 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1022,7 +1022,7 @@ hdr-dst = $(if $(KBUILD_HEADERS), dst=include/asm-$(hdr-arch), dst=include/asm)
 
 PHONY += __headers
 __headers: include/linux/version.h scripts_basic FORCE
-	$(Q)$(MAKE) $(build)=scripts scripts/unifdef
+	$(Q)$(MAKE) $(build)=scripts build_unifdef
 
 PHONY += headers_install_all
 headers_install_all:
diff --git a/scripts/Makefile b/scripts/Makefile
index 2e088109fbd523..fcea26168bca71 100644
--- a/scripts/Makefile
+++ b/scripts/Makefile
@@ -18,6 +18,11 @@ always		:= $(hostprogs-y) $(hostprogs-m)
 # The following hostprogs-y programs are only build on demand
 hostprogs-y += unifdef
 
+# This target is used internally to avoid "is up to date" messages
+PHONY += build_unifdef
+build_unifdef: scripts/unifdef FORCE
+	@:
+
 subdir-$(CONFIG_MODVERSIONS) += genksyms
 subdir-y                     += mod
 subdir-$(CONFIG_SECURITY_SELINUX) += selinux