diff --git a/arch/arm64/Makefile b/arch/arm64/Makefile
index 307237cfe728..b5e3f6d42b88 100644
--- a/arch/arm64/Makefile
+++ b/arch/arm64/Makefile
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ Image: vmlinux
 Image.%: vmlinux
 	$(Q)$(MAKE) $(build)=$(boot) $(boot)/$@
 
-zinstall install: vmlinux
+zinstall install:
 	$(Q)$(MAKE) $(build)=$(boot) $@
 
 %.dtb: scripts
diff --git a/arch/arm64/boot/Makefile b/arch/arm64/boot/Makefile
index abcbba2f01ba..305c552b5ec1 100644
--- a/arch/arm64/boot/Makefile
+++ b/arch/arm64/boot/Makefile
@@ -34,10 +34,10 @@ $(obj)/Image.lzma: $(obj)/Image FORCE
 $(obj)/Image.lzo: $(obj)/Image FORCE
 	$(call if_changed,lzo)
 
-install: $(obj)/Image
+install:
 	$(CONFIG_SHELL) $(srctree)/$(src)/install.sh $(KERNELRELEASE) \
 	$(obj)/Image System.map "$(INSTALL_PATH)"
 
-zinstall: $(obj)/Image.gz
+zinstall:
 	$(CONFIG_SHELL) $(srctree)/$(src)/install.sh $(KERNELRELEASE) \
 	$(obj)/Image.gz System.map "$(INSTALL_PATH)"
diff --git a/arch/arm64/boot/install.sh b/arch/arm64/boot/install.sh
index 12ed78aa6f0c..d91e1f022573 100644
--- a/arch/arm64/boot/install.sh
+++ b/arch/arm64/boot/install.sh
@@ -20,6 +20,20 @@
 #   $4 - default install path (blank if root directory)
 #
 
+verify () {
+	if [ ! -f "$1" ]; then
+		echo ""                                                   1>&2
+		echo " *** Missing file: $1"                              1>&2
+		echo ' *** You need to run "make" before "make install".' 1>&2
+		echo ""                                                   1>&2
+		exit 1
+	fi
+}
+
+# Make sure the files actually exist
+verify "$2"
+verify "$3"
+
 # User may have a custom install script
 if [ -x ~/bin/${INSTALLKERNEL} ]; then exec ~/bin/${INSTALLKERNEL} "$@"; fi
 if [ -x /sbin/${INSTALLKERNEL} ]; then exec /sbin/${INSTALLKERNEL} "$@"; fi