diff --git a/arch/nios2/Makefile b/arch/nios2/Makefile
index 84464461a96..ae551c4e137 100644
--- a/arch/nios2/Makefile
+++ b/arch/nios2/Makefile
@@ -29,3 +29,17 @@ soc-aflags ?= $(soc-cflags)
 KBUILD_CFLAGS += $(soc-cflags)
 KBUILD_CXXFLAGS += $(soc-cxxflags)
 KBUILD_AFLAGS += $(soc-aflags)
+
+KERNEL_HEX_NAME = $(KERNEL_NAME).hex
+
+quiet_cmd_gen_hex = HEX     $@
+      cmd_gen_hex =                                                         \
+(                                                                           \
+   $(OBJCOPY) -S -O ihex -R .note -R .comment -R COMMON -R .eh_frame $< $@; \
+)
+
+$(KERNEL_HEX_NAME): $(KERNEL_ELF_NAME)
+	$(call cmd,gen_hex)
+
+zephyr: $(KERNEL_HEX_NAME)
+all: $(KERNEL_HEX_NAME)