diff --git a/src/link/MachO.zig b/src/link/MachO.zig
index 8b603ed380e90fd452cfc8168ebc2a990f237946..ee09137759fb1f9dbaad1bac8d8c5f8aaae0f48a 100644
--- a/src/link/MachO.zig
+++ b/src/link/MachO.zig
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ pub fn createEmpty(gpa: Allocator, options: link.Options) !*MachO {
             .incremental,
     };
 
-    if (options.use_llvm) {
+    if (options.use_llvm and options.module != null) {
         self.llvm_object = try LlvmObject.create(gpa, options);
     }