diff --git a/scripts/mod/modpost.c b/scripts/mod/modpost.c
index 110cf243fa4e..843f6fa517cc 100644
--- a/scripts/mod/modpost.c
+++ b/scripts/mod/modpost.c
@@ -1552,6 +1552,10 @@ static void read_symbols(char *modname)
 	}
 
 	license = get_modinfo(info.modinfo, info.modinfo_len, "license");
+	if (!license && !is_vmlinux(modname))
+		fatal("modpost: missing MODULE_LICENSE() in %s\n"
+		      "see include/linux/module.h for "
+		      "more information\n", modname);
 	while (license) {
 		if (license_is_gpl_compatible(license))
 			mod->gpl_compatible = 1;