diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index c97c8d96061c..b73519492887 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1515,7 +1515,7 @@ clean: archclean vmlinuxclean resolve_btfids_clean
 
 # mrproper - Delete all generated files, including .config
 #
-mrproper: rm-files := $(wildcard $(MRPROPER_FILES))
+mrproper: rm-files := $(MRPROPER_FILES)
 mrproper-dirs      := $(addprefix _mrproper_,scripts)
 
 PHONY += $(mrproper-dirs) mrproper