diff --git a/Makefile.inc1 b/Makefile.inc1
index b14051cc5e72..617366c0964a 100644
--- a/Makefile.inc1
+++ b/Makefile.inc1
@@ -1493,6 +1493,8 @@ _btxld=		usr.sbin/btxld
 .if ${XAS:M/*} == ""
 .if ${MK_BINUTILS_BOOTSTRAP} != "no"
 _binutils=	gnu/usr.bin/binutils
+.endif
+.if ${MK_ELFTOOLCHAIN_BOOTSTRAP} != "no"
 _elftctools=	lib/libelftc \
 		usr.bin/elfcopy \
 		usr.bin/nm \
@@ -1502,7 +1504,7 @@ _elftctools=	lib/libelftc \
 # cross-build on a FreeBSD 10 host:
 _elftctools+=	usr.bin/addr2line
 .endif
-.elif ${TARGET_ARCH} != ${MACHINE_ARCH} && ${MK_BINUTILS_BOOTSTRAP} != "no"
+.elif ${TARGET_ARCH} != ${MACHINE_ARCH} && ${MK_ELFTOOLCHAIN_BOOTSTRAP} != "no"
 # If cross-building with an external binutils we still need to build strip for
 # the target (for at least crunchide).
 _elftctools=	lib/libelftc \
diff --git a/share/mk/src.opts.mk b/share/mk/src.opts.mk
index e542ccc3d410..a5e78a3d9459 100644
--- a/share/mk/src.opts.mk
+++ b/share/mk/src.opts.mk
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ __DEFAULT_YES_OPTIONS = \
     DYNAMICROOT \
     ED_CRYPTO \
     EE \
+    ELFTOOLCHAIN_BOOTSTRAP \
     EXAMPLES \
     FDT \
     FILE \
@@ -328,6 +329,7 @@ MK_GROFF:=	no
 .if ${MK_CROSS_COMPILER} == "no"
 MK_BINUTILS_BOOTSTRAP:= no
 MK_CLANG_BOOTSTRAP:= no
+MK_ELFTOOLCHAIN_BOOTSTRAP:= no
 MK_GCC_BOOTSTRAP:= no
 .endif