diff --git a/modules/modules.mk b/modules/modules.mk
index 29871f95920e..a29da346161c 100644
--- a/modules/modules.mk
+++ b/modules/modules.mk
@@ -59,6 +59,10 @@ ifeq ($(CONTACT),yes)
         TENSOR_MECHANICS            := yes
 endif
 
+ifeq ($(XFEM),yes)
+        TENSOR_MECHANICS            := yes
+endif
+
 # The master list of all moose modules
 MODULE_NAMES := "chemical_reactions contact external_petsc_solver fluid_properties functional_expansion_tools geochemistry heat_conduction level_set misc navier_stokes peridynamics phase_field porous_flow rdg richards stochastic_tools tensor_mechanics xfem"