diff --git a/Makefile.inc1 b/Makefile.inc1
index e13aaf2348c9..3a6582f4c000 100644
--- a/Makefile.inc1
+++ b/Makefile.inc1
@@ -356,7 +356,7 @@ installcheck:
 		false; \
 	fi
 .endif
-.if ${TARGET_ARCH} == ${MACHINE_ARCH} && \
+.if ${TARGET_ARCH} == ${MACHINE_ARCH} && !defined(DISTDIR) && \
     (!defined(DESTDIR) || ${DESTDIR} == "" || ${DESTDIR} == "/")
 	@echo "Checking to see if your booted kernel is fresh enough.."
 	${.OBJDIR}/bin/sh/sh -c \