diff --git a/build_opts/NULL b/build_opts/NULL
index 5d85833f3..1242fa9ef 100644
--- a/build_opts/NULL
+++ b/build_opts/NULL
@@ -1,2 +1,3 @@
 TARGET_ISA = 'null'
 CPU_MODELS = ''
+PROTOCOL='MI_example'
diff --git a/src/mem/ruby/SConscript b/src/mem/ruby/SConscript
index 3029c3297..4200ddaeb 100644
--- a/src/mem/ruby/SConscript
+++ b/src/mem/ruby/SConscript
@@ -59,9 +59,6 @@ CompoundFlag('Ruby', [ 'RubyQueue', 'RubyNetwork', 'RubyTester',
     'RubyMemory', 'RubyDma', 'RubyPort', 'RubySequencer', 'RubyCacheTrace',
     'RubyPrefetcher'])
 
-if env['TARGET_ISA'] == 'null':
-    Return()
-
 if env['PROTOCOL'] == 'None':
     Return()