diff --git a/meta-arm-bsp/conf/machine/corstone500.conf b/meta-arm-bsp/conf/machine/corstone500.conf
index 0358f1c2..ec1d9e2f 100644
--- a/meta-arm-bsp/conf/machine/corstone500.conf
+++ b/meta-arm-bsp/conf/machine/corstone500.conf
@@ -4,7 +4,15 @@
 
 require conf/machine/include/tune-cortexa5.inc
 
-PREFERRED_PROVIDER_virtual/kernel = "linux-yocto"
+#
+# Corstone-500 is built against poky-tiny distro.
+# poky-tiny sets PREFERRED_PROVIDER_virtual/kernel to linux-yocto-tiny.
+# Since distro config is evaluated after the machine config, we need to
+# use the strongest override possible (forcevariable) so the
+# PREFERRED_PROVIDER_virtual/kernel specified in the machine config will
+# apply.
+#
+PREFERRED_PROVIDER_virtual/kernel_forcevariable = "linux-yocto"
 PREFERRED_VERSION_linux-yocto ?= "5.3%"
 KBUILD_DEFCONFIG = "multi_v7_defconfig"
 KCONFIG_MODE = "--alldefconfig"