diff --git a/meta-ti-bsp/conf/machine/include/k3r5.inc b/meta-ti-bsp/conf/machine/include/k3r5.inc
index 184d3a09..63267a5e 100644
--- a/meta-ti-bsp/conf/machine/include/k3r5.inc
+++ b/meta-ti-bsp/conf/machine/include/k3r5.inc
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ require conf/machine/include/arm/armv7a/tune-cortexa8.inc
 # https://git.ti.com/cgit/ti-u-boot/ti-u-boot/tree/doc/board/ti/j721e_evm.rst
 # https://git.ti.com/cgit/ti-u-boot/ti-u-boot/tree/doc/board/ti/am62x_sk.rst
 # https://git.ti.com/cgit/ti-u-boot/ti-u-boot/tree/doc/board/ti/k3.rst
-PREFERRED_PROVIDER_virtual/kernel ?= "linux-dummy"
+PREFERRED_PROVIDER_virtual/kernel = "linux-dummy"
 PREFERRED_PROVIDER_virtual/bootloader ?= "u-boot-ti-staging"
 PREFERRED_PROVIDER_u-boot ?= "u-boot-ti-staging"