[PATCH v2] scripts/config: honor $KBUILD_OUTPUT by default

From: Dmitry Voytik

Date: Sun Sep 20 2026 - 03:42:28 EST


If $KBUILD_OUTPUT is set, use it by default if --file is not passed.

Fix the issue when the script silently updates a stale .config in
the root directory, while the user expects ${KBUILD_OUTPUT}/.config
to be updated.
The problem can be worked around with --file, but this is easy to miss,
and is inconsistent with how the Makefile and other tools work
(e.g., scripts/diffconfig).

Signed-off-by: Dmitry Voytik <voytikd@xxxxxxxxx>
---
v2:
- Addressed comments by sashiko:
- https://sashiko.dev/#/patchset/20260920064350.17999-1-voytikd%40gmail.com
- use basename when --refresh is used
- remove echo which can be misleading when --file is passed
v1:
- https://lore.kernel.org/all/20260920064350.17999-1-voytikd@xxxxxxxxx/
---
scripts/config | 6 +++++-
1 file changed, 5 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/scripts/config b/scripts/config
index 32428ea909c2..cdee67157fe1 100755
--- a/scripts/config
+++ b/scripts/config
@@ -130,6 +130,10 @@ on_exit() {
trap on_exit EXIT

FN=.config
+if [ -n "${KBUILD_OUTPUT}" ]; then
+ FN=${KBUILD_OUTPUT}/${FN}
+fi
+
CMDS=()
while [[ $# -gt 0 ]]; do
if [ "$1" = "--file" ]; then
@@ -229,7 +233,7 @@ while [ "$1" != "" ] ; do
;;

--refresh)
- yes "" | make oldconfig KCONFIG_CONFIG=$FN
+ yes "" | make oldconfig KCONFIG_CONFIG=$(basename $FN)
;;

*)
--
2.55.0