diff --git a/sys/conf/kern.pre.mk b/sys/conf/kern.pre.mk
index e8abf137bda2..5b0024457cd5 100644
--- a/sys/conf/kern.pre.mk
+++ b/sys/conf/kern.pre.mk
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ COPTFLAGS+= ${_CPUCFLAGS}
 . endif
 .endif
 .if ${CC} == "icc"
+C_DIALECT=
 NOSTDINC= -X
 .else
 C_DIALECT= -std=c99