diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yml b/.github/workflows/build.yml
index 83022d45ae8bc7..b703f32c72c4d0 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yml
@@ -113,12 +113,6 @@ jobs:
         find . -type f -name *.ko | \
           xargs -I % cp --parents % dist/modules
 
-    - name: Assert compiled
-      if: ${{ env.AUTO_FROM_RANGE == 'true' }}
-      run: |
-        source ci/build.sh
-        assert_compiled
-
     - name: Assert state
       if: ${{ failure() }}
       run: |
@@ -126,6 +120,12 @@ jobs:
         set_step_fail "assert_state"
         echo "fatal=true" >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
 
+    - name: Assert compiled
+      if: ${{ !cancelled() && env.fatal != 'true' && env.AUTO_FROM_RANGE == 'true' }}
+      run: |
+        source ci/build.sh
+        assert_compiled
+
     - name: Sparse
       if: ${{ !cancelled() && env.fatal != 'true' && env.CHECKS_SPARCE == 'true' }}
       run: |
diff --git a/ci/build.sh b/ci/build.sh
index 3522dba1c74d17..05046cc32e3cc8 100644
--- a/ci/build.sh
+++ b/ci/build.sh
@@ -718,6 +718,7 @@ compile_kernel_smatch() {
 
 compile_gcc_fanalyzer () {
 	export step_name="gcc_fanalyzer"
+	local exceptions_file="ci/travis/deadcode_exceptions"
 	local files=$(git diff --diff-filter=ACM --no-renames --name-only $base_sha..$head_sha)
 	local regex='^[[:alnum:]/._-]+:[[:digit:]]+:[[:digit:]]+: .*$'
 	local mail=
@@ -730,6 +731,10 @@ compile_gcc_fanalyzer () {
 		return 1
 	fi
 
+	if [[ -f $exceptions_file ]]; then
+		files=$(comm -13 <(sort $exceptions_file) <(echo $files | tr ' ' '\n' | sort))
+	fi
+
 	while read file; do
 		case "$file" in
 		*.c)
@@ -891,8 +896,17 @@ compile_clang_analyzer () {
 
 assert_compiled () {
 	export step_name="assert_compiled"
+	local exceptions_file="ci/travis/deadcode_exceptions"
 	local files=$(git diff --diff-filter=ACM --no-renames --name-only $base_sha..$head_sha)
 	local fail=0
+	local error="
+	 At least one file was not compiled during kernel compilation
+	 Either:
+	  1. ensure the Kconfig is able to enable it/them
+	 OR
+	  2. remove deadcode
+	 OR
+	  3. add it/them in file '$exceptions_file'"
 
 	echo "$step_name were compiled on range $base_sha..$head_sha"
 
@@ -901,6 +915,11 @@ assert_compiled () {
 		return 1
 	fi
 
+	# Allows deadcode
+	if [[ -f $exceptions_file ]]; then
+		files=$(comm -13 <(sort $exceptions_file) <(echo $files | tr ' ' '\n' | sort))
+	fi
+
 	while read file; do
 		case "$file" in
 		*.c)
@@ -909,7 +928,7 @@ assert_compiled () {
 			compile_cmd=$(jq ".[] | select(.file == \"$abs_file\") |
 				      .command" compile_commands.json)
 			if [[ -z "$compile_cmd" ]]; then
-				echo "::error file=$file,line=0::$step_name: Was not compiled during kernel compilation, ensure defconfig enables it"
+				echo "::error file=$file,line=0::$step_name: Was not compiled during kernel compilation."
 				fail=1
 			fi
 			;;
@@ -917,6 +936,10 @@ assert_compiled () {
 
 	done <<< "$files"
 
+	if [[ "$fail" == "true" ]]; then
+		_fmt "::error ::$step_name: $error"
+	fi
+
 	return $fail
 }
 
diff --git a/ci/symbols_depend.py b/ci/symbols_depend.py
index 27cee4092b2b68..6bf8b76474f098 100644
--- a/ci/symbols_depend.py
+++ b/ci/symbols_depend.py
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ def track_if_blocks(symbol, target_kconfig):
 
     for kconfig in get_all_parent_kconfigs(path.dirname(target_kconfig)):
         if debug:
-            print(f"{target_kconfig}: Tracking if blocks at '{kconfig}'",
+            print(f"{target_kconfig}: Tracking if blocks at '{kconfig}' for symbol '{symbol}'",
                   file=stderr)
         with open(kconfig, 'r') as f:
             lines = f.readlines()
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ def track_if_blocks(symbol, target_kconfig):
             line_ = line.strip()
             if line.startswith('if '):
                 stack.append(line[3:].strip())
-            elif line_ == 'endif':
+            elif line_.startswith('endif'):
                 if stack:
                     stack.pop()
             elif line_.startswith('source') and line_.endswith('Kconfig"'):