diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index c54dd9282b52..7e7f5ecf9f95 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1549,7 +1549,7 @@ CLEAN_FILES += vmlinux.symvers modules-only.symvers \
 	       modules.builtin.ranges vmlinux.o.map \
 	       compile_commands.json rust/test \
 	       rust-project.json .vmlinux.objs .vmlinux.export.c \
-	       .vmlinux.protected-exports.c
+	       .vmlinux.protected-exports.c .vmlinux.permitted-imports.c
 
 # Directories & files removed with 'make mrproper'
 MRPROPER_FILES += include/config include/generated          \
diff --git a/scripts/Makefile.vmlinux b/scripts/Makefile.vmlinux
index faaa9ba1f61a..cae5f3634030 100644
--- a/scripts/Makefile.vmlinux
+++ b/scripts/Makefile.vmlinux
@@ -26,6 +26,11 @@ targets += .vmlinux.protected-exports.o
 vmlinux: .vmlinux.protected-exports.o
 endif
 
+ifdef CONFIG_TRIM_UNUSED_KSYMS
+targets += .vmlinux.permitted-imports.o
+vmlinux: .vmlinux.permitted-imports.o
+endif
+
 endif
 
 ARCH_POSTLINK := $(wildcard $(srctree)/arch/$(SRCARCH)/Makefile.postlink)
diff --git a/scripts/link-vmlinux.sh b/scripts/link-vmlinux.sh
index bfac545879a1..829683250fea 100755
--- a/scripts/link-vmlinux.sh
+++ b/scripts/link-vmlinux.sh
@@ -73,6 +73,9 @@ vmlinux_link()
 		if is_enabled CONFIG_MODULE_SIG_PROTECT; then
 			objs="${objs} .vmlinux.protected-exports.o"
 		fi
+		if is_enabled CONFIG_TRIM_UNUSED_KSYMS; then
+			objs="${objs} .vmlinux.permitted-imports.o"
+		fi
 	fi
 
 	objs="${objs} init/version-timestamp.o"