diff --git a/package/dtc/dtc.mk b/package/dtc/dtc.mk
index 8fdcdbed77..9dbca0a46b 100644
--- a/package/dtc/dtc.mk
+++ b/package/dtc/dtc.mk
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 DTC_VERSION = 1.4.1
 DTC_SOURCE = dtc-$(DTC_VERSION).tar.xz
 DTC_SITE = https://www.kernel.org/pub/software/utils/dtc
-DTC_LICENSE = GPLv2+/BSD-2c
+DTC_LICENSE = GPLv2+ or BSD-2c (library)
 DTC_LICENSE_FILES = README.license GPL
 DTC_INSTALL_STAGING = YES
 DTC_DEPENDENCIES = host-bison host-flex
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ endef
 
 ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_DTC_PROGRAMS),y)
 
-DTC_LICENSE += (for the library), GPLv2+ (for the executables)
+DTC_LICENSE := $(DTC_LICENSE), GPLv2+ (programs)
 DTC_INSTALL_GOAL = install
 ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_BASH),)
 DTC_POST_INSTALL_TARGET_HOOKS += DTC_POST_INSTALL_TARGET_RM_DTDIFF