diff --git a/config-generic b/config-generic
index c6f5c4504..3726766e7 100644
--- a/config-generic
+++ b/config-generic
@@ -24,6 +24,10 @@ CONFIG_BUILD_DOCSRC=y
 # General setup
 #
 # CONFIG_LOCALVERSION_AUTO is not set
+CONFIG_KERNEL_GZIP=y
+# CONFIG_KERNEL_BZIP2 is not set
+# CONFIG_KERNEL_LZO is not set
+# CONFIG_KERNEL_LZMA is not set
 CONFIG_SWAP=y
 CONFIG_SYSVIPC=y
 CONFIG_BSD_PROCESS_ACCT=y
diff --git a/kernel.spec b/kernel.spec
index deb81ef3d..f200ac8ea 100644
--- a/kernel.spec
+++ b/kernel.spec
@@ -1858,6 +1858,9 @@ fi
 #                 ||     ||
 
 %changelog
+* Tue Aug 17 2010 Kyle McMartin <kyle@redhat.com>
+- explicitly set KERNEL_GZIP
+
 * Tue Aug 17 2010 Kyle McMartin <kyle@redhat.com>
 - Linux 2.6.36-rc1