diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 952d354069a4..85e3c9f55bde 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1287,8 +1287,7 @@ hdr-inst := -f $(srctree)/scripts/Makefile.headersinst obj
 
 PHONY += headers
 headers: $(version_h) scripts_unifdef uapi-asm-generic archheaders archscripts
-	$(if $(wildcard $(srctree)/arch/$(SRCARCH)/include/uapi/asm/Kbuild),, \
-	  $(error Headers not exportable for the $(SRCARCH) architecture))
+	$(if $(filter um, $(SRCARCH)), $(error Headers not exportable for UML))
 	$(Q)$(MAKE) $(hdr-inst)=include/uapi
 	$(Q)$(MAKE) $(hdr-inst)=arch/$(SRCARCH)/include/uapi