diff --git a/sched/Kconfig b/sched/Kconfig
index 1877b944c4..232c009f8c 100644
--- a/sched/Kconfig
+++ b/sched/Kconfig
@@ -755,13 +755,15 @@ endif # SCHED_CHILD_STATUS
 config SCHED_WAITPID
 	bool "Enable waitpid() API"
 	default n
+	depends on SCHED_HAVE_PARENT || !BUILD_KERNEL
 	---help---
 		Enables the waitpid() interface in a default, non-standard mode
 		(non-standard in the sense that the waited for PID need not be child
 		of the caller).  If SCHED_HAVE_PARENT is also defined, then this
 		setting will modify the behavior or waitpid() (making more spec
 		compliant) and will enable the waitid() and wait() interfaces as
-		well.
+		well. Note that SCHED_HAVE_PARENT must be defined in BUILD_KERNEL if
+		SCHED_WAITPID is needed.
 
 config SCHED_DUMP_LEAK
 	bool "Enable catch task memory leak"