diff --git a/arch/mips/Kbuild b/arch/mips/Kbuild
index 5c3f688a5232f2690007a8e92a12ba76ae11b4a5..5cef58651db0738b5428d68f5f38dbdb834204e6 100644
--- a/arch/mips/Kbuild
+++ b/arch/mips/Kbuild
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 # Fail on warnings - also for files referenced in subdirs
 # -Werror can be disabled for specific files using:
 # CFLAGS_<file.o> := -Wno-error
+ifeq ($(W),)
 subdir-ccflags-y := -Werror
+endif
 
 # platform specific definitions
 include arch/mips/Kbuild.platforms