diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 15b6476d0f89..7df040b1b023 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -658,7 +658,7 @@ endif
 
 ifeq ($(KBUILD_EXTMOD),)
 # Objects we will link into vmlinux / subdirs we need to visit
-core-y		:= init/ usr/
+core-y		:= init/ usr/ arch/$(SRCARCH)/
 drivers-y	:= drivers/ sound/
 drivers-$(CONFIG_SAMPLES) += samples/
 drivers-$(CONFIG_NET) += net/
diff --git a/arch/alpha/Kbuild b/arch/alpha/Kbuild
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..a4e40e534e6a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/arch/alpha/Kbuild
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-only
diff --git a/arch/arc/Makefile b/arch/arc/Makefile
index 4392c9c189c4..3e6d4b84797f 100644
--- a/arch/arc/Makefile
+++ b/arch/arc/Makefile
@@ -85,9 +85,6 @@ KBUILD_LDFLAGS	+= $(ldflags-y)
 
 head-y		:= arch/arc/kernel/head.o
 
-# See arch/arc/Kbuild for content of core part of the kernel
-core-y		+= arch/arc/
-
 # w/o this dtb won't embed into kernel binary
 core-y		+= arch/arc/boot/dts/
 
diff --git a/arch/arm/Makefile b/arch/arm/Makefile
index 415c3514573a..173da685a52e 100644
--- a/arch/arm/Makefile
+++ b/arch/arm/Makefile
@@ -252,7 +252,6 @@ endif
 
 export	TEXT_OFFSET GZFLAGS MMUEXT
 
-core-y				+= arch/arm/
 # If we have a machine-specific directory, then include it in the build.
 core-y				+= $(machdirs) $(platdirs)
 
diff --git a/arch/arm64/Makefile b/arch/arm64/Makefile
index 7ef44478560d..b73c151f3a53 100644
--- a/arch/arm64/Makefile
+++ b/arch/arm64/Makefile
@@ -149,7 +149,6 @@ KBUILD_CFLAGS += -DKASAN_SHADOW_SCALE_SHIFT=$(KASAN_SHADOW_SCALE_SHIFT)
 KBUILD_CPPFLAGS += -DKASAN_SHADOW_SCALE_SHIFT=$(KASAN_SHADOW_SCALE_SHIFT)
 KBUILD_AFLAGS += -DKASAN_SHADOW_SCALE_SHIFT=$(KASAN_SHADOW_SCALE_SHIFT)
 
-core-y		+= arch/arm64/
 libs-y		:= arch/arm64/lib/ $(libs-y)
 libs-$(CONFIG_EFI_STUB) += $(objtree)/drivers/firmware/efi/libstub/lib.a
 
diff --git a/arch/csky/Kbuild b/arch/csky/Kbuild
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..a4e40e534e6a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/arch/csky/Kbuild
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-only
diff --git a/arch/h8300/Kbuild b/arch/h8300/Kbuild
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..a4e40e534e6a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/arch/h8300/Kbuild
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-only
diff --git a/arch/hexagon/Kbuild b/arch/hexagon/Kbuild
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..a4e40e534e6a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/arch/hexagon/Kbuild
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-only
diff --git a/arch/ia64/Kbuild b/arch/ia64/Kbuild
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..a4e40e534e6a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/arch/ia64/Kbuild
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-only
diff --git a/arch/microblaze/Kbuild b/arch/microblaze/Kbuild
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..a4e40e534e6a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/arch/microblaze/Kbuild
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-only
diff --git a/arch/mips/Makefile b/arch/mips/Makefile
index 258234c35a09..4e942b7ef022 100644
--- a/arch/mips/Makefile
+++ b/arch/mips/Makefile
@@ -332,9 +332,6 @@ head-y := arch/mips/kernel/head.o
 libs-y			+= arch/mips/lib/
 libs-$(CONFIG_MIPS_FP_SUPPORT) += arch/mips/math-emu/
 
-# See arch/mips/Kbuild for content of core part of the kernel
-core-y += arch/mips/
-
 drivers-y			+= arch/mips/crypto/
 
 # suspend and hibernation support
diff --git a/arch/nds32/Kbuild b/arch/nds32/Kbuild
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..a4e40e534e6a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/arch/nds32/Kbuild
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-only
diff --git a/arch/nios2/Kbuild b/arch/nios2/Kbuild
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..a4e40e534e6a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/arch/nios2/Kbuild
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-only
diff --git a/arch/openrisc/Makefile b/arch/openrisc/Makefile
index 410e7abfac69..c52de526e518 100644
--- a/arch/openrisc/Makefile
+++ b/arch/openrisc/Makefile
@@ -42,7 +42,6 @@ endif
 
 head-y 		:= arch/openrisc/kernel/head.o
 
-core-y		+= arch/openrisc/
 libs-y		+= $(LIBGCC)
 
 PHONY += vmlinux.bin
diff --git a/arch/parisc/Kbuild b/arch/parisc/Kbuild
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..a4e40e534e6a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/arch/parisc/Kbuild
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-only
diff --git a/arch/powerpc/Makefile b/arch/powerpc/Makefile
index 3212d076ac6a..af669aa75b73 100644
--- a/arch/powerpc/Makefile
+++ b/arch/powerpc/Makefile
@@ -267,9 +267,6 @@ head-$(CONFIG_PPC_FPU)		+= arch/powerpc/kernel/fpu.o
 head-$(CONFIG_ALTIVEC)		+= arch/powerpc/kernel/vector.o
 head-$(CONFIG_PPC_OF_BOOT_TRAMPOLINE)  += arch/powerpc/kernel/prom_init.o
 
-# See arch/powerpc/Kbuild for content of core part of the kernel
-core-y += arch/powerpc/
-
 # Default to zImage, override when needed
 all: zImage
 
diff --git a/arch/riscv/Makefile b/arch/riscv/Makefile
index 3eb9590a0775..c5f359540862 100644
--- a/arch/riscv/Makefile
+++ b/arch/riscv/Makefile
@@ -90,7 +90,6 @@ endif
 
 head-y := arch/riscv/kernel/head.o
 
-core-y += arch/riscv/
 core-$(CONFIG_RISCV_ERRATA_ALTERNATIVE) += arch/riscv/errata/
 
 libs-y += arch/riscv/lib/
diff --git a/arch/s390/Makefile b/arch/s390/Makefile
index e443ed9947bd..37b61645694c 100644
--- a/arch/s390/Makefile
+++ b/arch/s390/Makefile
@@ -128,9 +128,6 @@ OBJCOPYFLAGS	:= -O binary
 
 head-y		:= arch/s390/kernel/head64.o
 
-# See arch/s390/Kbuild for content of core part of the kernel
-core-y		+= arch/s390/
-
 libs-y		+= arch/s390/lib/
 drivers-y	+= drivers/s390/
 
diff --git a/arch/sh/Kbuild b/arch/sh/Kbuild
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..a4e40e534e6a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/arch/sh/Kbuild
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-only
diff --git a/arch/sparc/Makefile b/arch/sparc/Makefile
index bee99e65fe23..4e65245bc755 100644
--- a/arch/sparc/Makefile
+++ b/arch/sparc/Makefile
@@ -58,9 +58,6 @@ endif
 
 head-y                 := arch/sparc/kernel/head_$(BITS).o
 
-# See arch/sparc/Kbuild for the core part of the kernel
-core-y                 += arch/sparc/
-
 libs-y                 += arch/sparc/prom/
 libs-y                 += arch/sparc/lib/
 
diff --git a/arch/um/Kbuild b/arch/um/Kbuild
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..a4e40e534e6a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/arch/um/Kbuild
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-only
diff --git a/arch/x86/Makefile b/arch/x86/Makefile
index c77c5d8a7b3e..4307bf48ec53 100644
--- a/arch/x86/Makefile
+++ b/arch/x86/Makefile
@@ -239,9 +239,6 @@ head-y += arch/x86/kernel/platform-quirks.o
 
 libs-y  += arch/x86/lib/
 
-# See arch/x86/Kbuild for content of core part of the kernel
-core-y += arch/x86/
-
 # drivers-y are linked after core-y
 drivers-$(CONFIG_MATH_EMULATION) += arch/x86/math-emu/
 drivers-$(CONFIG_PCI)            += arch/x86/pci/
diff --git a/arch/xtensa/Kbuild b/arch/xtensa/Kbuild
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..a4e40e534e6a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/arch/xtensa/Kbuild
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-only
