diff --git a/core/main.mk b/core/main.mk
index 8857b5d..1b2eea4 100644
--- a/core/main.mk
+++ b/core/main.mk
@@ -1120,7 +1120,11 @@
 # Expand a list of modules to the modules that they override (if any)
 # $(1): The list of modules.
 define module-overrides
-$(foreach m,$(1),$(PACKAGES.$(m).OVERRIDES) $(EXECUTABLES.$(m).OVERRIDES) $(SHARED_LIBRARIES.$(m).OVERRIDES) $(ETC.$(m).OVERRIDES))
+$(foreach m,$(1),\
+  $(eval _mo_overrides := $(PACKAGES.$(m).OVERRIDES) $(EXECUTABLES.$(m).OVERRIDES) $(SHARED_LIBRARIES.$(m).OVERRIDES) $(ETC.$(m).OVERRIDES))\
+  $(if $(filter $(m),$(_mo_overrides)),\
+    $(error Module $(m) cannot override itself),\
+    $(_mo_overrides)))
 endef
 
 ###########################################################