diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -634,6 +634,7 @@
 	    (echo "${.TARGET} failed," \
 	    "check _.${.TARGET} for details" | \
 	    ${MAKEFAIL}; false)
+.if empty(XCC) || empty(XLD)
 	@if [ ! -e "${HOST_OBJTOP}/tmp/usr/bin/cc" ]; then \
 	    echo "Missing host compiler at ${HOST_OBJTOP}/tmp/usr/bin/cc?" >&2; \
 	    false; \
@@ -642,6 +643,7 @@
 	    echo "Missing host linker at ${HOST_OBJTOP}/tmp/usr/bin/ld?" >&2; \
 	    false; \
 	fi
+.endif
 	@echo "--------------------------------------------------------------"
 	@echo "> Toolchain bootstrap completed on `LC_ALL=C date`"
 	@echo "--------------------------------------------------------------"
@@ -702,7 +704,8 @@
 universe_${target}_done: universe_${target}_worlds .PHONY
 .for target_arch in ${TARGET_ARCHES_${target}}
 universe_${target}_worlds: universe_${target}_${target_arch} .PHONY
-.if (defined(_need_clang_${target}_${target_arch}) && \
+.if (!empty(XCC) || !empty(XLD)) || \
+    (defined(_need_clang_${target}_${target_arch}) && \
     ${_need_clang_${target}_${target_arch}} == "yes") || \
     (defined(_need_lld_${target}_${target_arch}) && \
     ${_need_lld_${target}_${target_arch}} == "yes")
@@ -764,7 +767,7 @@
 	config -m ${KERNSRCDIR}/${TARGET}/conf/${kernel} 2> /dev/null | \
 	grep -v WARNING: | cut -f 2
 .if empty(TARGET_ARCH_${kernel})
-.error Target architecture for ${TARGET}/conf/${kernel} unknown.  config(8) likely too old.
+.error Target architecture for ${TARGET}/conf/${kernel} unknown. config(8) likely too old or was not built.
 .endif
 universe_kernconfs_${TARGET_ARCH_${kernel}}: universe_kernconf_${TARGET}_${kernel}
 universe_kernconf_${TARGET}_${kernel}: .MAKE