diff --git a/linux/linux.mk b/linux/linux.mk
index 29f59e882e..a321fa74eb 100644
--- a/linux/linux.mk
+++ b/linux/linux.mk
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ LINUX_POST_PATCH_HOOKS += LINUX_APPLY_PATCHES
 ifeq ($(BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_USE_DEFCONFIG),y)
 KERNEL_SOURCE_CONFIG = $(KERNEL_ARCH_PATH)/configs/$(call qstrip,$(BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_DEFCONFIG))_defconfig
 else ifeq ($(BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_USE_CUSTOM_CONFIG),y)
-KERNEL_SOURCE_CONFIG = $(BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_CUSTOM_CONFIG_FILE)
+KERNEL_SOURCE_CONFIG = $(call qstrip,$(BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_CUSTOM_CONFIG_FILE))
 endif
 
 define LINUX_CONFIGURE_CMDS