diff --git a/certs/Kconfig b/certs/Kconfig
index 48675ad319dbacbd707c8448de717a772018fc52..e4d00348fd7345dd8ca581fe082f4c9fd92daa10 100644
--- a/certs/Kconfig
+++ b/certs/Kconfig
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ menu "Certificates for signature checking"
 config MODULE_SIG_KEY
 	string "File name or PKCS#11 URI of module signing key"
 	default "certs/signing_key.pem"
-	depends on MODULE_SIG || IMA_APPRAISE_MODSIG
+	depends on MODULE_SIG || (IMA_APPRAISE_MODSIG && MODULES)
 	help
          Provide the file name of a private key/certificate in PEM format,
          or a PKCS#11 URI according to RFC7512. The file should contain, or
diff --git a/certs/Makefile b/certs/Makefile
index e3185c57fbd8e07f12815492c41ce8c249569b4e..2f369d6aa494ef6e31126986b6d13da21fa27943 100644
--- a/certs/Makefile
+++ b/certs/Makefile
@@ -36,8 +36,10 @@ ifeq ($(CONFIG_MODULE_SIG),y)
 endif
 
 ifeq ($(CONFIG_IMA_APPRAISE_MODSIG),y)
+ifeq ($(CONFIG_MODULES),y)
 	SIGN_KEY = y
 endif
+endif
 
 ifdef SIGN_KEY
 ###############################################################################
diff --git a/certs/system_certificates.S b/certs/system_certificates.S
index dcad27ea85274f500140fe2edea65955f942d712..e1645e6f4d97467d87413c506ec7aeda33ef38a1 100644
--- a/certs/system_certificates.S
+++ b/certs/system_certificates.S
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@
 system_certificate_list:
 __cert_list_start:
 __module_cert_start:
-#if defined(CONFIG_MODULE_SIG) || defined(CONFIG_IMA_APPRAISE_MODSIG)
+#if defined(CONFIG_MODULE_SIG) || (defined(CONFIG_IMA_APPRAISE_MODSIG) \
+			       && defined(CONFIG_MODULES))
 	.incbin "certs/signing_key.x509"
 #endif
 __module_cert_end: