diff --git a/scripts/Makefile.clean b/scripts/Makefile.clean
index 9c978b7bbdf1..62351b630fab 100644
--- a/scripts/Makefile.clean
+++ b/scripts/Makefile.clean
@@ -7,6 +7,11 @@ src := $(obj)
 .PHONY: __clean
 __clean:
 
+# Shorthand for $(Q)$(MAKE) scripts/Makefile.clean obj=dir
+# Usage:
+# $(Q)$(MAKE) $(clean)=dir
+clean := -f $(if $(KBUILD_SRC),$(srctree)/)scripts/Makefile.clean obj
+
 # The filename Kbuild has precedence over Makefile
 include $(if $(wildcard $(srctree)/$(src)/Kbuild), \
                         $(srctree)/$(src)/Kbuild, $(srctree)/$(src)/Makefile)
@@ -89,8 +94,3 @@ $(subdir-ymn):
 # If quiet is set, only print short version of command
 
 cmd = @$(if $($(quiet)cmd_$(1)),echo '  $($(quiet)cmd_$(1))' &&) $(cmd_$(1))
-
-# Shorthand for $(Q)$(MAKE) scripts/Makefile.clean obj=dir
-# Usage:
-# $(Q)$(MAKE) $(clean)=dir
-clean := -f $(if $(KBUILD_SRC),$(srctree)/)scripts/Makefile.clean obj