diff --git a/arch/s390/Makefile b/arch/s390/Makefile
index b3235ab0ace8..ed646c583e4f 100644
--- a/arch/s390/Makefile
+++ b/arch/s390/Makefile
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ vdso_prepare: prepare0
 
 ifdef CONFIG_EXPOLINE_EXTERN
 modules_prepare: expoline_prepare
-expoline_prepare:
+expoline_prepare: scripts
 	$(Q)$(MAKE) $(build)=arch/s390/lib/expoline arch/s390/lib/expoline/expoline.o
 endif
 endif