diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index b5916653207c..96d264f0c1ab 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -553,7 +553,8 @@ universe_${target}_kernels: universe_${target}_worlds .PHONY
 universe_${target}_kernels: universe_${target}_prologue .MAKE .PHONY
 .if exists(${KERNSRCDIR}/${target}/conf/NOTES)
 	@(cd ${KERNSRCDIR}/${target}/conf && env __MAKE_CONF=/dev/null \
-	    ${SUB_MAKE} LINT > ${.CURDIR}/_.${target}.makeLINT 2>&1 || \
+	    ${SUB_MAKE} -DNO_OBJ LINT \
+	    > ${.CURDIR}/_.${target}.makeLINT 2>&1 || \
 	    (echo "${target} 'make LINT' failed," \
 	    "check _.${target}.makeLINT for details"| ${MAKEFAIL}))
 .endif