diff --git a/tools/cmake/build.cmake b/tools/cmake/build.cmake
index d0abf84386..fe1942e38b 100644
--- a/tools/cmake/build.cmake
+++ b/tools/cmake/build.cmake
@@ -150,10 +150,12 @@ function(__build_init idf_path)
     file(GLOB component_dirs ${idf_path}/components/*)
     list(SORT component_dirs)
     foreach(component_dir ${component_dirs})
-        get_filename_component(component_dir ${component_dir} ABSOLUTE)
-        __component_dir_quick_check(is_component ${component_dir})
-        if(is_component)
-            __component_add(${component_dir} ${prefix})
+        # A potential component must be a directory
+        if(IS_DIRECTORY ${component_dir})
+            __component_dir_quick_check(is_component ${component_dir})
+            if(is_component)
+                __component_add(${component_dir} ${prefix})
+            endif()
         endif()
     endforeach()
 
diff --git a/tools/cmake/component.cmake b/tools/cmake/component.cmake
index 12cf324586..d017699f39 100644
--- a/tools/cmake/component.cmake
+++ b/tools/cmake/component.cmake
@@ -97,16 +97,11 @@ function(__component_dir_quick_check var component_dir)
     set(res 1)
     get_filename_component(abs_dir ${component_dir} ABSOLUTE)
 
-    # Check this is really a directory and that a CMakeLists.txt file for this component exists
-    # - warn and skip anything which isn't valid looking (probably cruft)
-    if(NOT IS_DIRECTORY "${abs_dir}")
-        message(STATUS "Unexpected file in components directory: ${abs_dir}")
-        set(res 0)
-    endif()
-
     get_filename_component(base_dir ${abs_dir} NAME)
     string(SUBSTRING "${base_dir}" 0 1 first_char)
 
+    # Check the component directory contains a CMakeLists.txt file
+    # - warn and skip anything which isn't valid looking (probably cruft)
     if(NOT first_char STREQUAL ".")
         if(NOT EXISTS "${abs_dir}/CMakeLists.txt")
             message(STATUS "Component directory ${abs_dir} does not contain a CMakeLists.txt file. "
diff --git a/tools/cmake/project.cmake b/tools/cmake/project.cmake
index 099d07c27e..0057e6d4d8 100644
--- a/tools/cmake/project.cmake
+++ b/tools/cmake/project.cmake
@@ -157,13 +157,14 @@ function(__project_init components_var test_components_var)
 
     function(__project_component_dir component_dir)
         get_filename_component(component_dir "${component_dir}" ABSOLUTE)
+        # The directory itself is a valid idf component
         if(EXISTS ${component_dir}/CMakeLists.txt)
             idf_build_component(${component_dir})
         else()
+            # otherwise, check whether the subfolders are potential idf components
             file(GLOB component_dirs ${component_dir}/*)
             foreach(component_dir ${component_dirs})
-                if(EXISTS ${component_dir}/CMakeLists.txt)
-                    get_filename_component(base_dir ${component_dir} NAME)
+                if(IS_DIRECTORY ${component_dir})
                     __component_dir_quick_check(is_component ${component_dir})
                     if(is_component)
                         idf_build_component(${component_dir})
@@ -205,9 +206,11 @@ function(__project_init components_var test_components_var)
     file(GLOB bootloader_component_dirs "${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/bootloader_components/*")
     list(SORT bootloader_component_dirs)
     foreach(bootloader_component_dir ${bootloader_component_dirs})
-        __component_dir_quick_check(is_component ${bootloader_component_dir})
-        if(is_component)
-            __kconfig_bootloader_component_add("${bootloader_component_dir}")
+        if(IS_DIRECTORY ${bootloader_component_dir})
+            __component_dir_quick_check(is_component ${bootloader_component_dir})
+            if(is_component)
+                __kconfig_bootloader_component_add("${bootloader_component_dir}")
+            endif()
         endif()
     endforeach()