diff --git a/sys/conf/kern.opts.mk b/sys/conf/kern.opts.mk
index 8b3567928b8f..84e4e4f8b4e4 100644
--- a/sys/conf/kern.opts.mk
+++ b/sys/conf/kern.opts.mk
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ __DEFAULT_YES_OPTIONS = \
     CCD \
     CDDL \
     CRYPT \
+    CUSE \
     FORMAT_EXTENSIONS \
     INET \
     INET6 \
diff --git a/sys/modules/Makefile b/sys/modules/Makefile
index aedb6d09404c..5c7485684fda 100644
--- a/sys/modules/Makefile
+++ b/sys/modules/Makefile
@@ -86,7 +86,6 @@ SUBDIR=	\
 	${_ct} \
 	${_ctau} \
 	ctl \
-	cuse \
 	${_cxgb} \
 	${_cxgbe} \
 	dc \
@@ -393,6 +392,10 @@ _random=	random
 .endif
 .endif
 
+.if ${MK_CUSE} != "no" || defined(ALL_MODULES)
+SUBDIR+=	cuse
+.endif
+
 .if (${MK_INET_SUPPORT} != "no" || ${MK_INET6_SUPPORT} != "no") || \
 	defined(ALL_MODULES)
 _carp=		carp