diff --git a/samples/Kconfig b/samples/Kconfig
index c68d391c0602..69699db49675 100644
--- a/samples/Kconfig
+++ b/samples/Kconfig
@@ -193,6 +193,7 @@ config SAMPLE_VFS
 config SAMPLE_INTEL_MEI
 	bool "Build example program working with intel mei driver"
 	depends on INTEL_MEI
+	depends on CC_CAN_LINK && HEADERS_INSTALL
 	help
 	  Build a sample program to work with mei device.
 
diff --git a/samples/mei/Makefile b/samples/mei/Makefile
index f5b9d02be2cd..329411f82369 100644
--- a/samples/mei/Makefile
+++ b/samples/mei/Makefile
@@ -1,10 +1,7 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0
 # Copyright (c) 2012-2019, Intel Corporation. All rights reserved.
 
-hostprogs := mei-amt-version
+userprogs := mei-amt-version
+always-y := $(userprogs)
 
-HOSTCFLAGS_mei-amt-version.o += -I$(objtree)/usr/include
-
-always-y := $(hostprogs)
-
-all: mei-amt-version
+userccflags += -I usr/include