diff --git a/boot/barebox/barebox.mk b/boot/barebox/barebox.mk
index 7e530371c3..e45976d33b 100644
--- a/boot/barebox/barebox.mk
+++ b/boot/barebox/barebox.mk
@@ -109,10 +109,12 @@ define BAREBOX_INSTALL_TARGET_CMDS
 endef
 endif
 
-$(eval $(kconfig-package))
-
+# Checks to give errors that the user can understand
+# Must be before we call to kconfig-package
 ifeq ($(BR2_TARGET_BAREBOX)$(BR_BUILDING),yy)
 ifeq ($(BAREBOX_SOURCE_CONFIG),)
 $(error No Barebox config file. Check your BR2_TARGET_BAREBOX_BOARD_DEFCONFIG or BR2_TARGET_BAREBOX_CUSTOM_CONFIG_FILE settings)
 endif
 endif
+
+$(eval $(kconfig-package))