diff --git a/include/kernel.mk b/include/kernel.mk
index 2efa3bf8f8..c657bf5d82 100644
--- a/include/kernel.mk
+++ b/include/kernel.mk
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ ifneq ($(HOST_OS),Linux)
   export SKIP_STACK_VALIDATION:=1
 endif
 
-KERNEL_MAKEOPTS := -C $(LINUX_DIR) $(KERNEL_MAKE_FLAGS)
+KERNEL_MAKEOPTS = -C $(LINUX_DIR) $(KERNEL_MAKE_FLAGS)
 
 ifdef CONFIG_USE_SPARSE
   KERNEL_MAKEOPTS += C=1 CHECK=$(STAGING_DIR_HOST)/bin/sparse