diff --git a/scripts/mod/modpost.c b/scripts/mod/modpost.c
index 696d2a5..46660a4 100644
--- a/scripts/mod/modpost.c
+++ b/scripts/mod/modpost.c
@@ -1299,7 +1299,8 @@
 		handle_modversions(mod, &info, sym, symname);
 		handle_moddevtable(mod, &info, sym, symname);
 	}
-	if (is_vmlinux(modname) && vmlinux_section_warnings) {
+	if (!is_vmlinux(modname) ||
+	     (is_vmlinux(modname) && vmlinux_section_warnings)) {
 		check_sec_ref(mod, modname, &info, init_section, init_section_ref_ok);
 		check_sec_ref(mod, modname, &info, exit_section, exit_section_ref_ok);
 	}