diff --git a/build.config.common b/build.config.common
index 23bc83967a7f..df5a405cc2d4 100644
--- a/build.config.common
+++ b/build.config.common
@@ -4,7 +4,12 @@ LLVM=1
 DEPMOD=depmod
 CLANG_PREBUILT_BIN=prebuilts/clang/host/linux-x86/clang-${CLANG_VERSION}/bin
 BUILDTOOLS_PREBUILT_BIN=build/kernel/build-tools/path/linux-x86
-DTC=${ROOT_DIR}/${BUILDTOOLS_PREBUILT_BIN}/dtc
+
+# TODO(b/296265825): Turn this into a proper error
+DTC=$(command -v dtc || { echo "WARNING: $BUILD_CONFIG loaded without Kleaf hermetic tools.
+    This will become an error in the future." >&2;
+    echo "${ROOT_DIR}/${BUILDTOOLS_PREBUILT_BIN}/dtc";
+})
 
 KCFLAGS="${KCFLAGS} -D__ANDROID_COMMON_KERNEL__"
 EXTRA_CMDS=''