diff --git a/examples/Makefile b/examples/Makefile
index 164043a630..fa7c0d9b54 100644
--- a/examples/Makefile
+++ b/examples/Makefile
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ include $(SPDK_ROOT_DIR)/mk/spdk.common.mk
 DIRS-y += accel bdev blob ioat nvme sock vmd nvmf
 
 ifeq ($(OS),Linux)
-DIRS-y += interrupt_tgt
+DIRS-$(CONFIG_VHOST) += interrupt_tgt
 endif
 
 .PHONY: all clean $(DIRS-y)
diff --git a/examples/interrupt_tgt/Makefile b/examples/interrupt_tgt/Makefile
index b058f2d95c..90a2b8a4dc 100644
--- a/examples/interrupt_tgt/Makefile
+++ b/examples/interrupt_tgt/Makefile
@@ -42,9 +42,7 @@ C_SRCS := interrupt_tgt.c
 SPDK_LIB_LIST = $(INTR_BLOCKDEV_MODULES_LIST) event_bdev conf
 
 SPDK_LIB_LIST += event_nbd
-ifeq ($(CONFIG_VHOST),y)
 SPDK_LIB_LIST += event_vhost
-endif
 
 ifeq ($(SPDK_ROOT_DIR)/lib/env_dpdk,$(CONFIG_ENV))
 SPDK_LIB_LIST += env_dpdk_rpc