diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 137921ca25..0f8ca72b88 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -294,14 +294,7 @@ unexport TERMINFO
 
 GNU_HOST_NAME:=$(shell support/gnuconfig/config.guess)
 
-################################################################################
-#
-# The list of stuff to build for the target toolchain
-# along with the packages to build for the target.
-#
-################################################################################
-
-TARGETS:= toolchain
+TARGETS :=
 
 # silent mode requested?
 QUIET:=$(if $(findstring s,$(MAKEFLAGS)),-q)
diff --git a/toolchain/Config.in b/toolchain/Config.in
index 44f3ac66d8..a1065ac228 100644
--- a/toolchain/Config.in
+++ b/toolchain/Config.in
@@ -1,5 +1,11 @@
 menu "Toolchain"
 
+# Invisible option that makes sure the toolchain package always gets
+# built
+config BR2_TOOLCHAIN
+	bool
+	default y
+
 # Should be selected for glibc or eglibc
 config BR2_TOOLCHAIN_USES_GLIBC
 	bool