diff --git a/include/kernel-build.mk b/include/kernel-build.mk
index 404c318d41..5ca8807ef2 100644
--- a/include/kernel-build.mk
+++ b/include/kernel-build.mk
@@ -184,4 +184,6 @@ define BuildKernel
 
   prereq: image-prereq
 
+  image: $(LINUX_DIR)/.image
+
 endef
diff --git a/include/toplevel.mk b/include/toplevel.mk
index 092dff786c..369889dab3 100644
--- a/include/toplevel.mk
+++ b/include/toplevel.mk
@@ -168,6 +168,7 @@ ifneq ($(DISTRO_PKG_CONFIG),)
 kernel_menuconfig: export PATH:=$(dir $(DISTRO_PKG_CONFIG)):$(PATH)
 kernel_nconfig: export PATH:=$(dir $(DISTRO_PKG_CONFIG)):$(PATH)
 kernel_xconfig: export PATH:=$(dir $(DISTRO_PKG_CONFIG)):$(PATH)
+kernel_image: export PATH:=$(dir $(DISTRO_PKG_CONFIG)):$(PATH)
 endif
 kernel_menuconfig: prepare_kernel_conf
 	$(_SINGLE)$(NO_TRACE_MAKE) -C target/linux menuconfig
@@ -178,6 +179,9 @@ kernel_nconfig: prepare_kernel_conf
 kernel_xconfig: prepare_kernel_conf
 	$(_SINGLE)$(NO_TRACE_MAKE) -C target/linux xconfig
 
+kernel_image: prepare_kernel_conf
+	$(_SINGLE)$(NO_TRACE_MAKE) -C target/linux image
+
 $(STAGING_DIR_HOST)/.prereq-build: include/prereq-build.mk
 	mkdir -p tmp
 	@$(_SINGLE)$(NO_TRACE_MAKE) -j1 -r -s -f $(TOPDIR)/include/prereq-build.mk prereq 2>/dev/null || { \
diff --git a/target/linux/Makefile b/target/linux/Makefile
index f1e20abf04..a3abe86628 100644
--- a/target/linux/Makefile
+++ b/target/linux/Makefile
@@ -8,5 +8,5 @@ include $(INCLUDE_DIR)/default-packages.mk
 
 export TARGET_BUILD=1
 
-prereq clean download prepare compile install oldconfig menuconfig nconfig xconfig update refresh dtb: FORCE
+prereq clean download prepare compile install oldconfig menuconfig nconfig xconfig update refresh dtb image: FORCE
 	@+$(NO_TRACE_MAKE) -C $(firstword $(wildcard feeds/$(BOARD) $(BOARD))) $@