diff --git a/meta/classes-recipe/linux-kernel.bbclass b/meta/classes-recipe/linux-kernel.bbclass
index 55ea6d63..e4ae356d 100644
--- a/meta/classes-recipe/linux-kernel.bbclass
+++ b/meta/classes-recipe/linux-kernel.bbclass
@@ -211,9 +211,6 @@ def get_kernel_arch(d):
 
 KERNEL_ARCH ??= "${@get_kernel_arch(d)}"
 
-# set KERNEL_FILE without depending on package arch used in bitbake.conf
-KERNEL_FILE:forcevariable = "${@ 'vmlinux' if d.getVar('KERNEL_ARCH') in ['mipsel', 'riscv', 'arm64'] else 'vmlinuz'}"
-
 KERNEL_CONFIG_FRAGMENTS ?= ""
 
 def config_fragments(d):
diff --git a/meta/conf/bitbake.conf b/meta/conf/bitbake.conf
index 08c525d9..6db10eb3 100644
--- a/meta/conf/bitbake.conf
+++ b/meta/conf/bitbake.conf
@@ -65,10 +65,7 @@ SCHROOT_HOST_DIR = "${DEPLOY_DIR}/schroot-host/${HOST_DISTRO}-${HOST_ARCH}_${DIS
 SCHROOT_TARGET_DIR = "${DEPLOY_DIR}/schroot-target/${DISTRO}-${DISTRO_ARCH}"
 SDKCHROOT_DIR = "${DEPLOY_DIR_SDKCHROOT}/${BPN}-${DISTRO}-${MACHINE}"
 CACHE = "${TMPDIR}/cache"
-KERNEL_FILE ?= "vmlinuz"
-KERNEL_FILE:mipsel ?= "vmlinux"
-KERNEL_FILE:riscv64 ?= "vmlinux"
-KERNEL_FILE:arm64 ?= "vmlinux"
+KERNEL_FILE ?= "${@ 'vmlinux' if d.getVar('DISTRO_ARCH') in ['mipsel', 'riscv64', 'arm64'] else 'vmlinuz'}"
 
 MACHINEOVERRIDES ?= "${MACHINE}"
 DISTROOVERRIDES ?= "${DISTRO}"