diff --git a/package/Makefile.in b/package/Makefile.in
index 8a592d4f59..ca34660a6f 100644
--- a/package/Makefile.in
+++ b/package/Makefile.in
@@ -110,22 +110,20 @@ endif
 STAGING_SUBDIR = usr/$(GNU_TARGET_NAME)/sysroot
 STAGING_DIR    = $(HOST_DIR)/$(STAGING_SUBDIR)
 
-TARGET_OPTIMIZATION := $(call qstrip,$(BR2_TARGET_OPTIMIZATION))
-
 ifeq ($(BR2_OPTIMIZE_0),y)
-TARGET_OPTIMIZATION += -O0
+TARGET_OPTIMIZATION = -O0
 endif
 ifeq ($(BR2_OPTIMIZE_1),y)
-TARGET_OPTIMIZATION += -O1
+TARGET_OPTIMIZATION = -O1
 endif
 ifeq ($(BR2_OPTIMIZE_2),y)
-TARGET_OPTIMIZATION += -O2
+TARGET_OPTIMIZATION = -O2
 endif
 ifeq ($(BR2_OPTIMIZE_3),y)
-TARGET_OPTIMIZATION += -O3
+TARGET_OPTIMIZATION = -O3
 endif
 ifeq ($(BR2_OPTIMIZE_S),y)
-TARGET_OPTIMIZATION += -Os
+TARGET_OPTIMIZATION = -Os
 endif
 ifeq ($(BR2_DEBUG_1),y)
 TARGET_DEBUGGING = -g1