diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 8d1fb753..bc09c4aa 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -299,7 +299,10 @@ $(initrd_bin_dir)/busybox: $(build)/$(busybox_dir)/busybox
 # this must be built *AFTER* musl, but since coreboot depends on other things
 # that depend on musl it should be ok.
 #
+ifeq ($(CONFIG_COREBOOT),y)
 $(eval $(call initrd_bin_add,$(build)/$(coreboot_dir)/util/cbmem/cbmem))
+endif
+
 $(build)/$(coreboot_dir)/util/cbmem/cbmem: \
 		$(build)/$(coreboot_dir)/.canary \
 		musl.intermediate
diff --git a/config/purism13v1-qubes.config b/config/purism13v1-qubes.config
index 21b24806..acd6ca49 100644
--- a/config/purism13v1-qubes.config
+++ b/config/purism13v1-qubes.config
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 # Configuration for a purism13v1
 BOARD=purism13v1
 
+CONFIG_COREBOOT=y
 CONFIG_CRYPTSETUP=y
 CONFIG_FLASHROM=y
 CONFIG_GPG=y
diff --git a/config/qemu-moc.config b/config/qemu-moc.config
index 553487d5..a9b063b1 100644
--- a/config/qemu-moc.config
+++ b/config/qemu-moc.config
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 # the qemu emulator.  Note that the TPM does not work, so this
 # will just drop into the recovery shell.
 BOARD=qemu
+CONFIG_COREBOOT=y
 CONFIG_CRYPTSETUP=y
 CONFIG_FLASHROM=y
 CONFIG_GPG=y
diff --git a/config/x220-qubes.config b/config/x220-qubes.config
index a2ca71f1..1dfecdcb 100644
--- a/config/x220-qubes.config
+++ b/config/x220-qubes.config
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 # Configuration for a x220 running Qubes OS
 BOARD=x220
 
+CONFIG_COREBOOT=y
 CONFIG_CRYPTSETUP=y
 CONFIG_FLASHROM=y
 CONFIG_GPG=y
diff --git a/config/x230-flash.config b/config/x230-flash.config
index 37e88253..f339954f 100644
--- a/config/x230-flash.config
+++ b/config/x230-flash.config
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 # Minimal configuration for a x230 to support flashrom, USB and networking
 BOARD=x230.flash
 
+CONFIG_COREBOOT=y
 CONFIG_FLASHROM=y
 CONFIG_PCIUTILS=y
 CONFIG_MBEDTLS=y
diff --git a/config/x230-generic.config b/config/x230-generic.config
index 966fdd29..06bc039e 100644
--- a/config/x230-generic.config
+++ b/config/x230-generic.config
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 # Configuration for a x230 running non-Qubes
 BOARD=x230
 
+CONFIG_COREBOOT=y
 CONFIG_CRYPTSETUP=y
 CONFIG_FLASHROM=y
 CONFIG_GPG=y
diff --git a/config/x230-moc.config b/config/x230-moc.config
index 970d9886..ee47b123 100644
--- a/config/x230-moc.config
+++ b/config/x230-moc.config
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 # Configuration for building the MOC "server" build on the x230
 # thinkpad prototypes.
 BOARD=x230
+CONFIG_COREBOOT=y
 CONFIG_CRYPTSETUP=y
 CONFIG_FLASHROM=y
 CONFIG_GPG=y
diff --git a/modules/coreboot b/modules/coreboot
index b1d042ce..cf446f0f 100644
--- a/modules/coreboot
+++ b/modules/coreboot
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-modules-y += coreboot
+modules-$(CONFIG_COREBOOT) += coreboot
 
 #coreboot_version := git
 #coreboot_repo := https://github.com/osresearch/coreboot