diff --git a/package/pkg-cargo.mk b/package/pkg-cargo.mk
index 067c45a920..614d46ad64 100644
--- a/package/pkg-cargo.mk
+++ b/package/pkg-cargo.mk
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ PKG_CARGO_ENV = \
 	CARGO_UNSTABLE_TARGET_APPLIES_TO_HOST="true" \
 	CARGO_TARGET_APPLIES_TO_HOST="false" \
 	CARGO_BUILD_TARGET="$(RUSTC_TARGET_NAME)" \
-	CARGO_TARGET_$(subst -,_,$(RUSTC_TARGET_NAME))_LINKER=$(notdir $(TARGET_CROSS))gcc
+	CARGO_TARGET_$(call UPPERCASE,$(RUSTC_TARGET_NAME))_LINKER=$(notdir $(TARGET_CROSS))gcc
 
 HOST_PKG_CARGO_ENV = \
 	$(PKG_COMMON_CARGO_ENV)