diff --git a/package/systemd/systemd.mk b/package/systemd/systemd.mk
index 50416cceb6..63885993db 100644
--- a/package/systemd/systemd.mk
+++ b/package/systemd/systemd.mk
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ SYSTEMD_CONF_OPTS += \
 	-Dsplit-usr=false \
 	-Dsystem-uid-max=999 \
 	-Dsystem-gid-max=999 \
-	-Dtelinit-path=$(TARGET_DIR)/sbin/telinit \
+	-Dtelinit-path= \
 	-Dquotaon-path=/usr/sbin/quotaon \
 	-Dquotacheck-path=/usr/sbin/quotacheck \
 	-Dkmod-path=/usr/bin/kmod \