diff --git a/arch/x86/Makefile b/arch/x86/Makefile
index 36753500818e..5dd1b38ca141 100644
--- a/arch/x86/Makefile
+++ b/arch/x86/Makefile
@@ -223,9 +223,6 @@ ifdef CONFIG_RETPOLINE
     RETPOLINE_CFLAGS_CLANG := -mretpoline-external-thunk
 
     RETPOLINE_CFLAGS += $(call cc-option,$(RETPOLINE_CFLAGS_GCC),$(call cc-option,$(RETPOLINE_CFLAGS_CLANG)))
-    ifeq ($(RETPOLINE_CFLAGS),)
-      $(error You are building kernel with non-retpoline compiler, please update your compiler.)
-    endif
     KBUILD_CFLAGS += $(RETPOLINE_CFLAGS)
 endif
 
@@ -242,6 +239,13 @@ archprepare:
 ifeq ($(CONFIG_KEXEC_FILE),y)
 	$(Q)$(MAKE) $(build)=arch/x86/purgatory arch/x86/purgatory/kexec-purgatory.c
 endif
+ifdef CONFIG_RETPOLINE
+ifeq ($(RETPOLINE_CFLAGS),)
+	@echo "You are building kernel with non-retpoline compiler." >&2
+	@echo "Please update your compiler." >&2
+	@false
+endif
+endif
 
 ###
 # Kernel objects