diff --git a/tools/objtool/check.c b/tools/objtool/check.c
index 3e214f879adae3..d8eaa7dc53d518 100644
--- a/tools/objtool/check.c
+++ b/tools/objtool/check.c
@@ -2772,7 +2772,7 @@ int check(const char *_objname, bool orc)
 
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&file.insn_list);
 	hash_init(file.insn_hash);
-	file.c_file = find_section_by_name(file.elf, ".comment");
+	file.c_file = !vmlinux && find_section_by_name(file.elf, ".comment");
 	file.ignore_unreachables = no_unreachable;
 	file.hints = false;