diff --git a/core/Makefile b/core/Makefile
index 06dd3db0d6..36a80036ca 100644
--- a/core/Makefile
+++ b/core/Makefile
@@ -922,6 +922,10 @@ INTERNAL_USERIMAGES_DEPS += $(MKF2FSUSERIMG) $(MAKE_F2FS)
 endif
 endif
 
+ifeq ($(BOARD_AVB_ENABLE),true)
+INTERNAL_USERIMAGES_DEPS += $(AVBTOOL)
+endif
+
 ifneq (true,$(TARGET_USERIMAGES_SPARSE_SQUASHFS_DISABLED))
   INTERNAL_USERIMAGES_SPARSE_SQUASHFS_FLAG := -s
 endif
@@ -1996,9 +2000,6 @@ $(INSTALLED_VBMETAIMAGE_TARGET): $(AVBTOOL) $(INSTALLED_BOOTIMAGE_TARGET) $(INST
 vbmetaimage-nodeps:
 	$(build-vbmetaimage-target)
 
-# We need $(AVBTOOL) for system.img generation.
-FULL_SYSTEMIMAGE_DEPS += $(AVBTOOL)
-
 endif # BOARD_AVB_ENABLE
 
 # -----------------------------------------------------------------