diff --git a/AndroidKernel.mk b/AndroidKernel.mk
index 237536d1b797..7685ba4b7679 100644
--- a/AndroidKernel.mk
+++ b/AndroidKernel.mk
@@ -45,6 +45,10 @@ ifeq ($(TARGET_PREBUILT_KERNEL),)
 KERNEL_OUT := $(TARGET_OUT_INTERMEDIATES)/KERNEL_OBJ
 KERNEL_CONFIG := $(KERNEL_OUT)/.config
 
+ifeq ($(KERNEL_DEFCONFIG)$(wildcard $(KERNEL_CONFIG)),)
+$(error Kernel configuration not defined, cannot build kernel)
+else
+
 ifeq ($(TARGET_USES_UNCOMPRESSED_KERNEL),true)
 $(info Using uncompressed kernel)
 TARGET_PREBUILT_INT_KERNEL := $(KERNEL_OUT)/arch/$(KERNEL_ARCH)/boot/Image
@@ -90,6 +94,7 @@ $(KERNEL_CONFIG): $(KERNEL_OUT)
 			$(MAKE) -C kernel O=../$(KERNEL_OUT) ARCH=$(KERNEL_ARCH) CROSS_COMPILE=$(KERNEL_CROSS_COMPILE) oldconfig; fi
 
 $(TARGET_PREBUILT_INT_KERNEL): $(KERNEL_OUT) $(KERNEL_HEADERS_INSTALL)
+	$(hide) echo "Building kernel..."
 	$(hide) rm -rf $(KERNEL_OUT)/arch/$(KERNEL_ARCH)/boot/dts
 	$(MAKE) -C kernel O=../$(KERNEL_OUT) ARCH=$(KERNEL_ARCH) CROSS_COMPILE=$(KERNEL_CROSS_COMPILE)
 	$(MAKE) -C kernel O=../$(KERNEL_OUT) ARCH=$(KERNEL_ARCH) CROSS_COMPILE=$(KERNEL_CROSS_COMPILE) modules
@@ -98,11 +103,14 @@ $(TARGET_PREBUILT_INT_KERNEL): $(KERNEL_OUT) $(KERNEL_HEADERS_INSTALL)
 	$(clean-module-folder)
 
 $(KERNEL_HEADERS_INSTALL): $(KERNEL_OUT)
-	$(hide) rm -f ../$(KERNEL_CONFIG)
-	$(MAKE) -C kernel O=../$(KERNEL_OUT) ARCH=$(KERNEL_HEADER_ARCH) CROSS_COMPILE=$(KERNEL_CROSS_COMPILE) $(KERNEL_HEADER_DEFCONFIG)
-	$(MAKE) -C kernel O=../$(KERNEL_OUT) ARCH=$(KERNEL_HEADER_ARCH) CROSS_COMPILE=$(KERNEL_CROSS_COMPILE) headers_install
-	$(hide) rm -f ../$(KERNEL_CONFIG)
-	$(MAKE) -C kernel O=../$(KERNEL_OUT) ARCH=$(KERNEL_ARCH) CROSS_COMPILE=$(KERNEL_CROSS_COMPILE) $(KERNEL_DEFCONFIG)
+	$(hide) if [ ! -z "$(KERNEL_HEADER_DEFCONFIG)" ]; then \
+			$(hide) rm -f ../$(KERNEL_CONFIG); \
+			$(MAKE) -C kernel O=../$(KERNEL_OUT) ARCH=$(KERNEL_HEADER_ARCH) CROSS_COMPILE=$(KERNEL_CROSS_COMPILE) $(KERNEL_HEADER_DEFCONFIG); \
+			$(MAKE) -C kernel O=../$(KERNEL_OUT) ARCH=$(KERNEL_HEADER_ARCH) CROSS_COMPILE=$(KERNEL_CROSS_COMPILE) headers_install; fi
+	$(hide) if [ "$(KERNEL_HEADER_DEFCONFIG)" != "$(KERNEL_DEFCONFIG)" ]; then \
+			echo "Used a different defconfig for header generation"; \
+			$(hide) rm -f ../$(KERNEL_CONFIG); \
+			$(MAKE) -C kernel O=../$(KERNEL_OUT) ARCH=$(KERNEL_ARCH) CROSS_COMPILE=$(KERNEL_CROSS_COMPILE) $(KERNEL_DEFCONFIG); fi
 	$(hide) if [ ! -z "$(KERNEL_CONFIG_OVERRIDE)" ]; then \
 			echo "Overriding kernel config with '$(KERNEL_CONFIG_OVERRIDE)'"; \
 			echo $(KERNEL_CONFIG_OVERRIDE) >> $(KERNEL_OUT)/.config; \
@@ -119,3 +127,4 @@ kernelconfig: $(KERNEL_OUT) $(KERNEL_CONFIG)
 	cp $(KERNEL_OUT)/defconfig kernel/arch/$(KERNEL_ARCH)/configs/$(KERNEL_DEFCONFIG)
 
 endif
+endif