diff --git a/scripts/Makefile.build b/scripts/Makefile.build
index b897c7806711..7bdad35660e8 100644
--- a/scripts/Makefile.build
+++ b/scripts/Makefile.build
@@ -169,9 +169,14 @@ ifdef CONFIG_MODVERSIONS
 #   genksyms on the preprocessed source and dump them into the .cmd file.
 # o modpost will extract versions from that file and create *.c files that will
 #   be compiled and linked to the kernel and/or modules.
+ifeq ($(CONFIG_LTO_CLANG),)
+	SYM_CHECK = $(READELF) -sW
+else
+	SYM_CHECK = $(NM)
+endif
 
 gen_symversions =								\
-	if $(NM) $@ 2>/dev/null | grep -q ' __export_symbol_'; then		\
+	if $(SYM_CHECK) $@ 2>/dev/null | grep -q ' __export_symbol_'; then		\
 		$(call cmd_gensymtypes_$(1),$(KBUILD_SYMTYPES),$(@:.o=.symtypes)) \
 			>> $(dot-target).cmd;					\
 	fi