diff --git a/scripts/kconfig/conf.c b/scripts/kconfig/conf.c
index 4dcb8867b5f4d3ac3940758eef48ef8f312271f8..124b341a18c02190e30bba8b7d28c8ce29aac57c 100644
--- a/scripts/kconfig/conf.c
+++ b/scripts/kconfig/conf.c
@@ -600,7 +600,7 @@ int main(int ac, char **av)
 			input_mode = ask_silent;
 			valid_stdin = 1;
 		}
-	} else if (sym_change_count) {
+	} else if (conf_get_changed()) {
 		name = getenv("KCONFIG_NOSILENTUPDATE");
 		if (name && *name) {
 			fprintf(stderr, _("\n*** Kernel configuration requires explicit update.\n\n"));
diff --git a/scripts/kconfig/confdata.c b/scripts/kconfig/confdata.c
index 66b15ef029313468b3918a3dcf89ae1dd65c9aa2..140742ebd73c9b959e779db0b14e75ba5837f6c1 100644
--- a/scripts/kconfig/confdata.c
+++ b/scripts/kconfig/confdata.c
@@ -432,7 +432,7 @@ int conf_write(const char *name)
 		     use_timestamp ? "# " : "",
 		     use_timestamp ? ctime(&now) : "");
 
-	if (!sym_change_count)
+	if (!conf_get_changed())
 		sym_clear_all_valid();
 
 	menu = rootmenu.list;
@@ -765,3 +765,8 @@ int conf_write_autoconf(void)
 
 	return 0;
 }
+
+bool conf_get_changed(void)
+{
+	return sym_change_count;
+}
diff --git a/scripts/kconfig/lkc_proto.h b/scripts/kconfig/lkc_proto.h
index a263746cfa7de239ba0513b5011b0a090a267d11..9f1823c88b7329190e7d334d8f62c72f8d6d4af9 100644
--- a/scripts/kconfig/lkc_proto.h
+++ b/scripts/kconfig/lkc_proto.h
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ P(conf_read,int,(const char *name));
 P(conf_read_simple,int,(const char *name, int));
 P(conf_write,int,(const char *name));
 P(conf_write_autoconf,int,(void));
+P(conf_get_changed,bool,(void));
 
 /* menu.c */
 P(rootmenu,struct menu,);
diff --git a/scripts/kconfig/mconf.c b/scripts/kconfig/mconf.c
index 08a4c7af93ea0ffd9d19b9efcbf02572d7fb94ac..3f9a1321b3e60caa47418b72beba0d27f6e118f3 100644
--- a/scripts/kconfig/mconf.c
+++ b/scripts/kconfig/mconf.c
@@ -890,14 +890,19 @@ int main(int ac, char **av)
 	do {
 		conf(&rootmenu);
 		dialog_clear();
-		res = dialog_yesno(NULL,
-				   _("Do you wish to save your "
-				     "new kernel configuration?\n"
-				     "<ESC><ESC> to continue."),
-				   6, 60);
+		if (conf_get_changed())
+			res = dialog_yesno(NULL,
+					   _("Do you wish to save your "
+					     "new kernel configuration?\n"
+					     "<ESC><ESC> to continue."),
+					   6, 60);
+		else
+			res = -1;
 	} while (res == KEY_ESC);
 	end_dialog();
-	if (res == 0) {
+
+	switch (res) {
+	case 0:
 		if (conf_write(NULL)) {
 			fprintf(stderr, _("\n\n"
 				"Error during writing of the kernel configuration.\n"
@@ -905,11 +910,13 @@ int main(int ac, char **av)
 				"\n\n"));
 			return 1;
 		}
+	case -1:
 		printf(_("\n\n"
 			"*** End of Linux kernel configuration.\n"
 			"*** Execute 'make' to build the kernel or try 'make help'."
 			"\n\n"));
-	} else {
+		break;
+	default:
 		fprintf(stderr, _("\n\n"
 			"Your kernel configuration changes were NOT saved."
 			"\n\n"));
diff --git a/scripts/kconfig/qconf.cc b/scripts/kconfig/qconf.cc
index f5628c57640b134fe2f8689fd3993d43f011ca3e..8d60d99bd9f19474e58147a24f4ff6488fa01dad 100644
--- a/scripts/kconfig/qconf.cc
+++ b/scripts/kconfig/qconf.cc
@@ -1585,7 +1585,7 @@ void ConfigMainWindow::showFullView(void)
  */
 void ConfigMainWindow::closeEvent(QCloseEvent* e)
 {
-	if (!sym_change_count) {
+	if (!conf_get_changed()) {
 		e->accept();
 		return;
 	}