diff --git a/targets/ar71xx-generic b/targets/ar71xx-generic
index f9906f7a..525e441a 100644
--- a/targets/ar71xx-generic
+++ b/targets/ar71xx-generic
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+config 'CONFIG_GLUON_SPECIALIZE_KERNEL=y'
+
 ATH10K_PACKAGES='-kmod-ath10k kmod-ath10k-ct'
 ATH10K_PACKAGES_QCA9887=
 if [ "$GLUON_WLAN_MESH" = 'ibss' ]; then
diff --git a/targets/ar71xx-mikrotik b/targets/ar71xx-mikrotik
index 9d0f5442..56ac8159 100644
--- a/targets/ar71xx-mikrotik
+++ b/targets/ar71xx-mikrotik
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+config 'CONFIG_GLUON_SPECIALIZE_KERNEL=y'
+
 # Enable ath5k in addition to ath9k
 # ath5k cards are commonly used with Mikrotik hardware
 packages 'kmod-ath5k'
diff --git a/targets/ar71xx-nand b/targets/ar71xx-nand
index 02961b3a..019ca786 100644
--- a/targets/ar71xx-nand
+++ b/targets/ar71xx-nand
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+config 'CONFIG_GLUON_SPECIALIZE_KERNEL=y'
+
 factory -ubi-factory .img
 sysupgrade -squashfs-sysupgrade .tar
 
diff --git a/targets/ar71xx-tiny b/targets/ar71xx-tiny
index 79d2a9fe..fd779d77 100644
--- a/targets/ar71xx-tiny
+++ b/targets/ar71xx-tiny
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+config 'CONFIG_GLUON_SPECIALIZE_KERNEL=y'
+
 no_opkg
 packages '-uboot-envtools' '-kmod-usb-core' '-kmod-usb-ohci' '-kmod-usb2' '-kmod-usb-ledtrig-usbport'