diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index d3f80c4b3f..8eb21d4c38 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -215,6 +215,7 @@ ifeq ($(KBUILD_VERBOSE),1)
 ifndef VERBOSE
   VERBOSE = 1
 endif
+export VERBOSE
 else
   quiet = quiet_
   Q = @
@@ -228,7 +229,7 @@ SHELL := $(shell if [ -x "$$BASH" ]; then echo $$BASH; \
 # kconfig uses CONFIG_SHELL
 CONFIG_SHELL := $(SHELL)
 
-export SHELL CONFIG_SHELL quiet Q KBUILD_VERBOSE VERBOSE
+export SHELL CONFIG_SHELL quiet Q KBUILD_VERBOSE
 
 ifndef HOSTAR
 HOSTAR := ar