diff --git a/README.adoc b/README.adoc
index c837804..a7e2cd4 100644
--- a/README.adoc
+++ b/README.adoc
@@ -539,8 +539,7 @@ You have to checkout to the latest tag to ensure that the scripts match the rele
 Be saner and use our custom built QEMU instead:
 
 ....
-git submodule update --init --recursive "$(./getvar qemu_source_dir)"
-./build-qemu
+./build --download-dependencies qemu
 ./run
 ....
 
@@ -549,7 +548,8 @@ This also allows you to <<your-first-qemu-hack,modify QEMU>> if you're into that
 To build the kernel modules as in <<your-first-kernel-module-hack>> do:
 
 ....
-./build-linux -- modules_prepare
+git submodule update --depth 1 --init --recursive "$(./getvar linux_source_dir)"
+./build-linux --no-modules-install -- modules_prepare
 ./build-modules
 ./run
 ....
@@ -561,6 +561,7 @@ This command automatically falls back to the Ubuntu packaged GCC since you don't
 To modify the Linux kernel, build and use it as usual:
 
 ....
+git submodule update --depth 1 --init --recursive "$(./getvar linux_source_dir)"
 ./build-linux
 ./run
 ....
diff --git a/build b/build
index 9f2cd79..ba59888 100755
--- a/build
+++ b/build
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ so looping over all of them would waste time.
                 **gem5_deps
             ),
             'linux': _Component(
-                self._build_file('build-linux', gem5_build_type='fast'),
+                self._build_file('build-linux'),
                 dependencies={'buildroot'},
                 submodules_shallow={'linux'},
                 apt_get_pkgs={
diff --git a/build-linux b/build-linux
index 0ef3424..9f56951 100755
--- a/build-linux
+++ b/build-linux
@@ -26,6 +26,12 @@ configs. Takes precedence over any config files.
             help='''\
 Also use the given kernel configuration fragment file.
 Pass multiple times to use multiple fragment files.
+'''
+        )
+        self.add_argument(
+            '--config-only', default=False,
+            help='''\
+Configure the kernel, but don't build it.
 '''
         )
         self.add_argument(
@@ -44,9 +50,9 @@ Ignore --custom-config-file.
 '''
         )
         self.add_argument(
-            '--config-only', default=False,
+            '--modules-install', default=True,
             help='''\
-Configure the kernel, but don't build it.
+Run `make modules_install` after `make`.
 '''
         )
         self.add_argument(
@@ -138,19 +144,20 @@ Configure the kernel, but don't build it.
                 },
                 **common_args
             )
-            self.sh.run_cmd(
-                (
-                    common_make_args +
-                    [
-                        'INSTALL_MOD_PATH={}'.format(self.env['out_rootfs_overlay_dir']), LF,
-                        'modules_install', LF,
-                    ]
-                ),
-                **common_args
-            )
-            # TODO: remove build and source https://stackoverflow.com/questions/13578618/what-does-build-and-source-link-do-in-lib-modules-kernel-version
-            # TODO Basically all kernel modules also basically leak full host paths. Just terrible. Buildroot deals with that stuff nicely for us.
-            # self.rmrf()
+            if self.env['modules_install']:
+                self.sh.run_cmd(
+                    (
+                        common_make_args +
+                        [
+                            'INSTALL_MOD_PATH={}'.format(self.env['out_rootfs_overlay_dir']), LF,
+                            'modules_install', LF,
+                        ]
+                    ),
+                    **common_args
+                )
+                # TODO: remove build and source https://stackoverflow.com/questions/13578618/what-does-build-and-source-link-do-in-lib-modules-kernel-version
+                # TODO Basically all kernel modules also basically leak full host paths. Just terrible. Buildroot deals with that stuff nicely for us.
+                # self.rmrf()
 
     def get_build_dir(self):
         return self.env['linux_build_dir']