diff --git a/samples/bpf/Makefile b/samples/bpf/Makefile
index c6e38e43c3fd0..e2c9ea65df9fb 100644
--- a/samples/bpf/Makefile
+++ b/samples/bpf/Makefile
@@ -365,16 +365,15 @@ VMLINUX_BTF ?= $(abspath $(firstword $(wildcard $(VMLINUX_BTF_PATHS))))
 
 $(obj)/vmlinux.h: $(VMLINUX_BTF) $(BPFTOOL)
 ifeq ($(VMLINUX_H),)
+ifeq ($(VMLINUX_BTF),)
+	$(error Cannot find a vmlinux for VMLINUX_BTF at any of "$(VMLINUX_BTF_PATHS)",\
+		build the kernel or set VMLINUX_BTF or VMLINUX_H variable)
+endif
 	$(Q)$(BPFTOOL) btf dump file $(VMLINUX_BTF) format c > $@
 else
 	$(Q)cp "$(VMLINUX_H)" $@
 endif
 
-ifeq ($(VMLINUX_BTF),)
-	$(error Cannot find a vmlinux for VMLINUX_BTF at any of "$(VMLINUX_BTF_PATHS)",\
-		build the kernel or set VMLINUX_BTF variable)
-endif
-
 clean-files += vmlinux.h
 
 # Get Clang's default includes on this system, as opposed to those seen by