diff --git a/fs/initramfs/initramfs.mk b/fs/initramfs/initramfs.mk
index c751093214..3b3d4ed8b9 100644
--- a/fs/initramfs/initramfs.mk
+++ b/fs/initramfs/initramfs.mk
@@ -29,3 +29,8 @@ rootfs-initramfs-show-depends:
 ifeq ($(BR2_TARGET_ROOTFS_INITRAMFS),y)
 TARGETS_ROOTFS += rootfs-initramfs
 endif
+
+# Not using the rootfs infra, so fake the variables
+ROOTFS_INITRAMFS_NAME = rootfs-initramfs
+ROOTFS_INITRAMFS_TYPE = rootfs
+ROOTFS_INITRAMFS_DEPENDENCIES = rootfs-cpio linux