diff --git a/builtin/CMakeLists.txt b/builtin/CMakeLists.txt
index 3d8b244e4fe..13ab757f30b 100644
--- a/builtin/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/builtin/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 #
 # ##############################################################################
 
-if(CONFIG_BUILTIN)
+if(CONFIG_APP_REGISTRY)
 
   include_directories(${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR})
 
@@ -54,8 +54,11 @@ if(CONFIG_BUILTIN)
 
   set(CSRCS)
 
-  list(APPEND CSRCS builtin_list.c exec_builtin.c builtin_list.h
-       builtin_proto.h)
+  list(APPEND CSRCS builtin_list.c builtin_list.h builtin_proto.h)
+
+  if(CONFIG_BUILTIN)
+    list(APPEND CSRCS exec_builtin.c)
+  endif()
 
   # target_sources(apps PRIVATE ${CSRCS})
   nuttx_add_library(apps_builtin ${CSRCS})
diff --git a/builtin/Make.defs b/builtin/Make.defs
index 47d1bf96004..b59d86e6afc 100644
--- a/builtin/Make.defs
+++ b/builtin/Make.defs
@@ -20,6 +20,6 @@
 #
 ############################################################################
 
-ifneq ($(CONFIG_BUILTIN),)
+ifneq ($(CONFIG_APP_REGISTRY),)
 CONFIGURED_APPS += $(APPDIR)/builtin
 endif
diff --git a/builtin/Makefile b/builtin/Makefile
index a5de31f6c5e..a551b6ef156 100644
--- a/builtin/Makefile
+++ b/builtin/Makefile
@@ -24,7 +24,10 @@ include $(APPDIR)/Make.defs
 
 # Source and object files
 
-CSRCS = builtin_list.c exec_builtin.c
+CSRCS = builtin_list.c
+ifeq ($(CONFIG_BUILTIN),y)
+CSRCS += exec_builtin.c
+endif
 
 # Registry entry lists
 
diff --git a/nshlib/nsh_fileapps.c b/nshlib/nsh_fileapps.c
index 66f41e36fc8..e889ce32205 100644
--- a/nshlib/nsh_fileapps.c
+++ b/nshlib/nsh_fileapps.c
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ int nsh_fileapp(FAR struct nsh_vtbl_s *vtbl, FAR const char *cmd,
   pid_t pid;
   int rc = 0;
   int ret;
-#ifdef CONFIG_BUILTIN
+#ifdef CONFIG_APP_REGISTRY
   FAR char *appname;
   int index;
 #endif
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ int nsh_fileapp(FAR struct nsh_vtbl_s *vtbl, FAR const char *cmd,
         }
     }
 
-#ifdef CONFIG_BUILTIN
+#ifdef CONFIG_APP_REGISTRY
   /* Check if a builtin application with this name exists */
 
   appname = basename((FAR char *)cmd);