diff --git a/pkgs/os-specific/linux/kernel/generic.nix b/pkgs/os-specific/linux/kernel/generic.nix
index 0bed93d76ed..216a7c7cb85 100644
--- a/pkgs/os-specific/linux/kernel/generic.nix
+++ b/pkgs/os-specific/linux/kernel/generic.nix
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-{ buildPackages, runCommand, nettools, bc, perl, gmp, libmpc, mpfr, openssl
+{ buildPackages, runCommand, nettools, bc, bison, flex, perl, gmp, libmpc, mpfr, openssl
 , ncurses
 , libelf
 , utillinux
@@ -82,7 +82,8 @@ let
     kernelConfig = kernelConfigFun config;
 
     depsBuildBuild = [ buildPackages.stdenv.cc ];
-    nativeBuildInputs = [ perl ];
+    nativeBuildInputs = [ perl ]
+      ++ lib.optionals (stdenv.lib.versionAtLeast version "4.16") [ bison flex ];
 
     platformName = hostPlatform.platform.name;
     # e.g. "defconfig"
diff --git a/pkgs/os-specific/linux/kernel/manual-config.nix b/pkgs/os-specific/linux/kernel/manual-config.nix
index 3dae37136a2..bd9334b8f9b 100644
--- a/pkgs/os-specific/linux/kernel/manual-config.nix
+++ b/pkgs/os-specific/linux/kernel/manual-config.nix
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-{ buildPackages, runCommand, nettools, bc, perl, gmp, libmpc, mpfr, openssl
+{ buildPackages, runCommand, nettools, bc, bison, flex, perl, gmp, libmpc, mpfr, openssl
 , ncurses ? null
 , libelf
 , utillinux
@@ -41,10 +41,10 @@ in {
 
 let
   inherit (stdenv.lib)
-    hasAttr getAttr optional optionalString optionalAttrs maintainers platforms;
+    hasAttr getAttr optional optionals optionalString optionalAttrs maintainers platforms;
 
   # Dependencies that are required to build kernel modules
-  moduleBuildDependencies = stdenv.lib.optional (stdenv.lib.versionAtLeast version "4.14") libelf;
+  moduleBuildDependencies = optional (stdenv.lib.versionAtLeast version "4.14") libelf;
 
   installkernel = writeTextFile { name = "installkernel"; executable=true; text = ''
     #!${stdenv.shell} -e
@@ -262,6 +262,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation ((drvAttrs config hostPlatform.platform kernelPatches config
       ++ optional (stdenv.hostPlatform.platform.kernelTarget == "uImage") buildPackages.ubootTools
       ++ optional (stdenv.lib.versionAtLeast version "4.14") libelf
       ++ optional (stdenv.lib.versionAtLeast version "4.15") utillinux
+      ++ optionals (stdenv.lib.versionAtLeast version "4.16") [ bison flex ]
       ;
 
   hardeningDisable = [ "bindnow" "format" "fortify" "stackprotector" "pic" ];