diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index f61ad7ff0057..ceffb582bd0a 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1477,24 +1477,6 @@ endif
 
 endif # CONFIG_MODULES
 
-modinst_pre :=
-ifneq ($(filter modules_install,$(MAKECMDGOALS)),)
-modinst_pre := __modinst_pre
-endif
-
-modules_install: $(modinst_pre)
-PHONY += __modinst_pre
-__modinst_pre:
-	@rm -rf $(MODLIB)/kernel
-	@rm -f $(MODLIB)/build
-	@mkdir -p $(MODLIB)
-ifdef CONFIG_MODULES
-	@ln -s $(CURDIR) $(MODLIB)/build
-	@sed 's:^\(.*\)\.o$$:kernel/\1.ko:' modules.order > $(MODLIB)/modules.order
-endif
-	@cp -f modules.builtin $(MODLIB)/
-	@cp -f $(objtree)/modules.builtin.modinfo $(MODLIB)/
-
 ###
 # Cleaning is done on three levels.
 # make clean     Delete most generated files
@@ -1836,12 +1818,15 @@ help:
 	@echo  '  clean           - remove generated files in module directory only'
 	@echo  ''
 
+ifndef CONFIG_MODULES
+modules modules_install: __external_modules_error
 __external_modules_error:
 	@echo >&2 '***'
 	@echo >&2 '*** The present kernel disabled CONFIG_MODULES.'
 	@echo >&2 '*** You cannot build or install external modules.'
 	@echo >&2 '***'
 	@false
+endif
 
 endif # KBUILD_EXTMOD
 
@@ -1850,6 +1835,9 @@ endif # KBUILD_EXTMOD
 
 PHONY += modules modules_install modules_prepare
 
+modules_install:
+	$(Q)$(MAKE) -f $(srctree)/scripts/Makefile.modinst
+
 ifdef CONFIG_MODULES
 
 $(MODORDER): $(build-dir)
@@ -1866,17 +1854,9 @@ PHONY += modules_check
 modules_check: $(MODORDER)
 	$(Q)$(CONFIG_SHELL) $(srctree)/scripts/modules-check.sh $<
 
-modules_install:
-	$(Q)$(MAKE) -f $(srctree)/scripts/Makefile.modinst
-
 else # CONFIG_MODULES
 
-# Modules not configured
-# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-PHONY += __external_modules_error
-
-modules modules_install: __external_modules_error
+modules:
 	@:
 
 KBUILD_MODULES :=
diff --git a/scripts/Makefile.modinst b/scripts/Makefile.modinst
index 96fea7c5dbe1..5e2f98f0e991 100644
--- a/scripts/Makefile.modinst
+++ b/scripts/Makefile.modinst
@@ -11,6 +11,33 @@ include $(srctree)/scripts/Kbuild.include
 
 install-y :=
 
+ifeq ($(KBUILD_EXTMOD)$(modules_sign_only),)
+
+# remove the old directory and symlink
+$(shell rm -fr $(MODLIB)/kernel $(MODLIB)/build)
+
+install-$(CONFIG_MODULES) += $(addprefix $(MODLIB)/, build modules.order)
+
+$(MODLIB)/build: FORCE
+	$(call cmd,symlink)
+
+quiet_cmd_symlink = SYMLINK $@
+      cmd_symlink = ln -s $(CURDIR) $@
+
+$(MODLIB)/modules.order: modules.order FORCE
+	$(call cmd,install_modorder)
+
+quiet_cmd_install_modorder = INSTALL $@
+      cmd_install_modorder = sed 's:^\(.*\)\.o$$:kernel/\1.ko:' $< > $@
+
+# Install modules.builtin(.modinfo) even when CONFIG_MODULES is disabled.
+install-y += $(addprefix $(MODLIB)/, modules.builtin modules.builtin.modinfo)
+
+$(addprefix $(MODLIB)/, modules.builtin modules.builtin.modinfo): $(MODLIB)/%: % FORCE
+	$(call cmd,install)
+
+endif
+
 modules := $(call read-file, $(MODORDER))
 
 ifeq ($(KBUILD_EXTMOD),)
@@ -31,7 +58,7 @@ suffix-$(CONFIG_MODULE_COMPRESS_ZSTD)	:= .zst
 modules := $(patsubst $(extmod_prefix)%.o, $(dst)/%.ko$(suffix-y), $(modules))
 install-$(CONFIG_MODULES) += $(modules)
 
-__modinst: $(modules)
+__modinst: $(install-y)
 	@:
 
 #
@@ -92,14 +119,16 @@ $(dst)/%.ko: $(extmod_prefix)%.ko FORCE
 	$(call cmd,strip)
 	$(call cmd,sign)
 
+ifdef CONFIG_MODULES
 __modinst: depmod
 
 PHONY += depmod
-depmod: $(modules)
+depmod: $(install-y)
 	$(call cmd,depmod)
 
 quiet_cmd_depmod = DEPMOD  $(MODLIB)
       cmd_depmod = $(srctree)/scripts/depmod.sh $(KERNELRELEASE)
+endif
 
 else