diff --git a/sys/conf/kern.post.mk b/sys/conf/kern.post.mk
index 6d0587ba12e5..5f12952c85eb 100644
--- a/sys/conf/kern.post.mk
+++ b/sys/conf/kern.post.mk
@@ -200,10 +200,10 @@ _meta_filemon=	1
 # lookups.  For install, only do this if no other targets are specified.
 # Also skip generating or including .depend.* files if in meta+filemon mode
 # since it will track dependencies itself.  OBJS_DEPEND_GUESS is still used.
-.if !empty(.MAKEFLAGS:M-V${_V_READ_DEPEND}) || make(obj) || make(clean*) || \
+.if !empty(.MAKEFLAGS:M-V${_V_READ_DEPEND}) || make(*obj) || \
+    ${.TARGETS:M*clean*} == ${.TARGETS} || \
     ${.TARGETS:M*install*} == ${.TARGETS} || \
-    make(kernel-obj) || make(kernel-clean*) || \
-    make(kernel-install*) || defined(_meta_filemon)
+    defined(_meta_filemon)
 _SKIP_READ_DEPEND=	1
 .MAKE.DEPENDFILE=	/dev/null
 .endif