diff --git a/include/kernel-build.mk b/include/kernel-build.mk
index a698deec3ca..22f7c4c7c7e 100644
--- a/include/kernel-build.mk
+++ b/include/kernel-build.mk
@@ -136,7 +136,6 @@ define BuildKernel
   $(LINUX_DIR)/.modules: export PKG_CONFIG_LIBDIR=$$(STAGING_DIR_HOST)/lib/pkgconfig
   $(LINUX_DIR)/.modules: $(STAMP_CONFIGURED) $(LINUX_DIR)/.config FORCE
 	$(Kernel/CompileModules)
-	mkdir -p $(PKG_SYMVERS_DIR)
 	touch $$@
 
   $(LINUX_DIR)/.image: export STAGING_PREFIX=$$(STAGING_DIR_HOST)
diff --git a/include/kernel.mk b/include/kernel.mk
index 1ae9c6be29c..1466048b0c1 100644
--- a/include/kernel.mk
+++ b/include/kernel.mk
@@ -149,6 +149,7 @@ define collect_module_symvers
 			grep -F $$$$realdir $(PKG_BUILD_DIR)/$$$$subdir/Module.symvers >> $(PKG_BUILD_DIR)/Module.symvers.tmp; \
 	done; \
 	sort -u $(PKG_BUILD_DIR)/Module.symvers.tmp > $(PKG_BUILD_DIR)/Module.symvers; \
+	mkdir -p $(PKG_SYMVERS_DIR); \
 	mv $(PKG_BUILD_DIR)/Module.symvers $(PKG_SYMVERS_DIR)/$(PKG_NAME).symvers
 endef