diff --git a/scripts/kconfig/Makefile b/scripts/kconfig/Makefile
index b2b9c87cec50..3043d6b0b51d 100644
--- a/scripts/kconfig/Makefile
+++ b/scripts/kconfig/Makefile
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ savedefconfig: $(obj)/conf
 defconfig: $(obj)/conf
 ifeq ($(KBUILD_DEFCONFIG),)
 	$< $(silent) --defconfig $(Kconfig)
-else ifneq ($(wildcard arch/$(SRCARCH)/configs/$(KBUILD_DEFCONFIG)),)
+else ifneq ($(wildcard $(srctree)/arch/$(SRCARCH)/configs/$(KBUILD_DEFCONFIG)),)
 	@$(kecho) "*** Default configuration is based on '$(KBUILD_DEFCONFIG)'"
 	$(Q)$< $(silent) --defconfig=arch/$(SRCARCH)/configs/$(KBUILD_DEFCONFIG) $(Kconfig)
 else