diff --git a/sound/soc/codecs/Kconfig b/sound/soc/codecs/Kconfig
index 032c87637f63..d24edb01c19b 100644
--- a/sound/soc/codecs/Kconfig
+++ b/sound/soc/codecs/Kconfig
@@ -1559,6 +1559,7 @@ config SND_SOC_WCD934X
 config SND_SOC_WCD938X
 	depends on SND_SOC_WCD938X_SDW
 	tristate
+	depends on SOUNDWIRE || !SOUNDWIRE
 
 config SND_SOC_WCD938X_SDW
 	tristate "WCD9380/WCD9385 Codec - SDW"
diff --git a/sound/soc/codecs/Makefile b/sound/soc/codecs/Makefile
index de8b83dd2c76..7bb38c370842 100644
--- a/sound/soc/codecs/Makefile
+++ b/sound/soc/codecs/Makefile
@@ -583,7 +583,10 @@ obj-$(CONFIG_SND_SOC_WCD_MBHC)	+= snd-soc-wcd-mbhc.o
 obj-$(CONFIG_SND_SOC_WCD9335)	+= snd-soc-wcd9335.o
 obj-$(CONFIG_SND_SOC_WCD934X)	+= snd-soc-wcd934x.o
 obj-$(CONFIG_SND_SOC_WCD938X)	+= snd-soc-wcd938x.o
-obj-$(CONFIG_SND_SOC_WCD938X_SDW) += snd-soc-wcd938x-sdw.o
+ifdef CONFIG_SND_SOC_WCD938X_SDW
+# avoid link failure by forcing sdw code built-in when needed
+obj-$(CONFIG_SND_SOC_WCD938X) += snd-soc-wcd938x-sdw.o
+endif
 obj-$(CONFIG_SND_SOC_WL1273)	+= snd-soc-wl1273.o
 obj-$(CONFIG_SND_SOC_WM0010)	+= snd-soc-wm0010.o
 obj-$(CONFIG_SND_SOC_WM1250_EV1) += snd-soc-wm1250-ev1.o