diff --git a/scripts/depmod.sh b/scripts/depmod.sh
index e083bcae343f3e71290e433b7fd50861fd819ca4..3643b4f896eded47c9d8517ffc9585438bd62398 100755
--- a/scripts/depmod.sh
+++ b/scripts/depmod.sh
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ if ! test -r System.map ; then
 	exit 0
 fi
 
+# legacy behavior: "depmod" in /sbin, no /sbin in PATH
+PATH="$PATH:/sbin"
 if [ -z $(command -v $DEPMOD) ]; then
 	echo "Warning: 'make modules_install' requires $DEPMOD. Please install it." >&2
 	echo "This is probably in the kmod package." >&2