diff --git a/scripts/kconfig/merge_config.sh b/scripts/kconfig/merge_config.sh
index bec246719aea..63c8565206a4 100755
--- a/scripts/kconfig/merge_config.sh
+++ b/scripts/kconfig/merge_config.sh
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ make KCONFIG_ALLCONFIG=$TMP_FILE $OUTPUT_ARG $ALLTARGET
 for CFG in $(sed -n -e "$SED_CONFIG_EXP1" -e "$SED_CONFIG_EXP2" $TMP_FILE); do
 
 	REQUESTED_VAL=$(grep -w -e "$CFG" $TMP_FILE)
-	ACTUAL_VAL=$(grep -w -e "$CFG" "$KCONFIG_CONFIG")
+	ACTUAL_VAL=$(grep -w -e "$CFG" "$KCONFIG_CONFIG" || true)
 	if [ "x$REQUESTED_VAL" != "x$ACTUAL_VAL" ] ; then
 		echo "Value requested for $CFG not in final .config"
 		echo "Requested value:  $REQUESTED_VAL"