diff --git a/arch/s390/scripts/Makefile.chkbss b/arch/s390/scripts/Makefile.chkbss
index cd7e8f4419f5..884a9caff5fb 100644
--- a/arch/s390/scripts/Makefile.chkbss
+++ b/arch/s390/scripts/Makefile.chkbss
@@ -11,7 +11,8 @@ chkbss: $(addprefix $(obj)/, $(chkbss-files))
 
 quiet_cmd_chkbss = CHKBSS  $<
       cmd_chkbss = \
-	if ! $(OBJDUMP) -j .bss -w -h $< | awk 'END { if ($$3) exit 1 }'; then \
+	if $(OBJDUMP) -h $< | grep -q "\.bss" && \
+	   ! $(OBJDUMP) -j .bss -w -h $< | awk 'END { if ($$3) exit 1 }'; then \
 		echo "error: $< .bss section is not empty" >&2; exit 1; \
 	fi; \
 	touch $@;