diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index f8b70cf80d79..da1966eacdce 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1246,11 +1246,15 @@ ifneq ($(dtstree),)
 	$(Q)$(MAKE) $(build)=$(dtstree) $(dtstree)/$@
 
 PHONY += dtbs dtbs_install dtbs_check
-dtbs dtbs_check: include/config/kernel.release scripts_dtc
+dtbs: include/config/kernel.release scripts_dtc
 	$(Q)$(MAKE) $(build)=$(dtstree)
 
+ifneq ($(filter dtbs_check, $(MAKECMDGOALS)),)
+dtbs: dt_binding_check
+endif
+
 dtbs_check: export CHECK_DTBS=1
-dtbs_check: dt_binding_check
+dtbs_check: dtbs
 
 dtbs_install:
 	$(Q)$(MAKE) $(dtbinst)=$(dtstree)