diff --git a/sys/conf/kern.pre.mk b/sys/conf/kern.pre.mk
index ac1ffd79868d..09941a4d4d32 100644
--- a/sys/conf/kern.pre.mk
+++ b/sys/conf/kern.pre.mk
@@ -170,6 +170,9 @@ MKMODULESENV+=	ALL_MODULES=LINT
 .if defined(MODULES_OVERRIDE)
 MKMODULESENV+=	MODULES_OVERRIDE="${MODULES_OVERRIDE}"
 .endif
+.if defined(WITHOUT_MODULES)
+MKMODULESENV+=	WITHOUT_MODULES="${WITHOUT_MODULES}"
+.endif
 .if defined(DEBUG)
 MKMODULESENV+=	DEBUG_FLAGS="${DEBUG}"
 .endif