diff --git a/scripts/kconfig/menu.c b/scripts/kconfig/menu.c
index 99222855544c3a7c2f67b3c33b3796eb36e5ff80..36cd3e1f1c28895b1a64740d8bcac17454197d70 100644
--- a/scripts/kconfig/menu.c
+++ b/scripts/kconfig/menu.c
@@ -212,6 +212,7 @@ void menu_add_option(int token, char *arg)
 			sym_defconfig_list = current_entry->sym;
 		else if (sym_defconfig_list != current_entry->sym)
 			zconf_error("trying to redefine defconfig symbol");
+		sym_defconfig_list->flags |= SYMBOL_AUTO;
 		break;
 	case T_OPT_ENV:
 		prop_add_env(arg);