diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index e404e4767944..ad91e6a936aa 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1417,6 +1417,10 @@ ifdef CONFIG_HEADERS_INSTALL
 prepare: headers
 endif
 
+PHONY += usr_gen_init_cpio
+usr_gen_init_cpio: scripts_basic
+	$(Q)$(MAKE) $(build)=usr usr/gen_init_cpio
+
 PHONY += scripts_unifdef
 scripts_unifdef: scripts_basic
 	$(Q)$(MAKE) $(build)=scripts scripts/unifdef
@@ -1669,6 +1673,8 @@ distclean: mrproper
 # Packaging of the kernel to various formats
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+modules-cpio-pkg: usr_gen_init_cpio
+
 %src-pkg: FORCE
 	$(Q)$(MAKE) -f $(srctree)/scripts/Makefile.package $@
 %pkg: include/config/kernel.release FORCE
diff --git a/scripts/Makefile.package b/scripts/Makefile.package
index 83bfcf7cb09f..0ec946f9b905 100644
--- a/scripts/Makefile.package
+++ b/scripts/Makefile.package
@@ -201,7 +201,6 @@ quiet_cmd_cpio = CPIO    $@
       cmd_cpio = $(CONFIG_SHELL) $(srctree)/usr/gen_initramfs.sh -o $@ $<
 
 modules-$(KERNELRELEASE)-$(ARCH).cpio: .tmp_modules_cpio
-	$(Q)$(MAKE) $(build)=usr usr/gen_init_cpio
 	$(call cmd,cpio)
 
 PHONY += modules-cpio-pkg