diff --git a/package/pkg-generic.mk b/package/pkg-generic.mk
index 86747707ed..272d35f1bb 100644
--- a/package/pkg-generic.mk
+++ b/package/pkg-generic.mk
@@ -428,6 +428,14 @@ ifndef $(2)_SOURCE
  endif
 endif
 
+# If FOO_ACTUAL_SOURCE_TARBALL is explicitly defined, it means FOO_SOURCE is
+# indeed a binary (e.g. external toolchain) and FOO_ACTUAL_SOURCE_TARBALL/_SITE
+# point to the actual sources tarball. Use the actual sources for legal-info.
+# For most packages the FOO_SITE/FOO_SOURCE pair points to real source code,
+# so these are the defaults for FOO_ACTUAL_*.
+$(2)_ACTUAL_SOURCE_TARBALL ?= $$($(2)_SOURCE)
+$(2)_ACTUAL_SOURCE_SITE    ?= $$(call qstrip,$$($(2)_SITE))
+
 ifndef $(2)_PATCH
  ifdef $(3)_PATCH
   $(2)_PATCH = $$($(3)_PATCH)
@@ -763,14 +771,6 @@ $(1)-legal-info: $(1)-source $$(REDIST_SOURCES_DIR_$$(call UPPERCASE,$(4)))
 endif
 endif
 
-# If FOO_ACTUAL_SOURCE_TARBALL is explicitly defined, it means FOO_SOURCE is
-# indeed a binary (e.g. external toolchain) and FOO_ACTUAL_SOURCE_TARBALL/_SITE
-# point to the actual sources tarball. Use the actual sources for legal-info.
-# For most packages the FOO_SITE/FOO_SOURCE pair points to real source code,
-# so these are the defaults for FOO_ACTUAL_*.
-$(2)_ACTUAL_SOURCE_TARBALL ?= $$($(2)_SOURCE)
-$(2)_ACTUAL_SOURCE_SITE    ?= $$(call qstrip,$$($(2)_SITE))
-
 # legal-info: produce legally relevant info.
 $(1)-legal-info:
 # Packages without a source are assumed to be part of Buildroot, skip them.