diff --git a/package/openvpn/openvpn.mk b/package/openvpn/openvpn.mk
index c911465259..7a4385b63d 100644
--- a/package/openvpn/openvpn.mk
+++ b/package/openvpn/openvpn.mk
@@ -17,10 +17,14 @@ OPENVPN_CONF_OPT += --enable-small --disable-plugins \
 	--disable-debug --disable-eurephia
 endif
 
+# Busybox 1.21+ places the ip applet in the "correct" place
+# but previous versions didn't.
 ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_IPROUTE2),y)
 OPENVPN_CONF_ENV += IPROUTE=/sbin/ip
-else
+else ifeq ($(BR2_BUSYBOX_VERSION_1_19_X)$(BR2_BUSYBOX_VERSION_1_20_X),y)
 OPENVPN_CONF_ENV += IPROUTE=/bin/ip
+else
+OPENVPN_CONF_ENV += IPROUTE=/sbin/ip
 endif
 
 ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_OPENVPN_LZO),y)