diff --git a/package/ifupdown-scripts/ifupdown-scripts.mk b/package/ifupdown-scripts/ifupdown-scripts.mk
index 317c8f49bf..ebc89b3872 100644
--- a/package/ifupdown-scripts/ifupdown-scripts.mk
+++ b/package/ifupdown-scripts/ifupdown-scripts.mk
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ endif
 
 define IFUPDOWN_SCRIPTS_INSTALL_TARGET_CMDS
 	mkdir -p $(TARGET_DIR)/etc/network
-	cp -a $(IFUPDOWN_SCRIPTS_PKGDIR)/network/* $(TARGET_DIR)/etc/network
+	$(call SYSTEM_RSYNC,$(IFUPDOWN_SCRIPTS_PKGDIR)/network,$(TARGET_DIR)/etc/network)
 	$(IFUPDOWN_SCRIPTS_LOCALHOST)
 	$(IFUPDOWN_SCRIPTS_DHCP)
 endef