diff --git a/scripts/kconfig/conf.c b/scripts/kconfig/conf.c
index 866369f10ff8..26156cb38ba0 100644
--- a/scripts/kconfig/conf.c
+++ b/scripts/kconfig/conf.c
@@ -35,7 +35,8 @@ enum input_mode {
 	savedefconfig,
 	listnewconfig,
 	olddefconfig,
-} input_mode = oldaskconfig;
+};
+static enum input_mode input_mode = oldaskconfig;
 
 static int indent = 1;
 static int tty_stdio;