diff --git a/Makefile.legacy b/Makefile.legacy
index ea18bc6156..764cfcd117 100644
--- a/Makefile.legacy
+++ b/Makefile.legacy
@@ -28,16 +28,20 @@ $(error "The BUILDROOT_DL_DIR environment variable was renamed to BR2_DL_DIR.")
 endif
 endif
 
+# If a script is using the deprecated BUILDROOT_CONFIG, make sure it fails.
+# Add some directories in front just in case someone used dirname on it.
+BUILDROOT_CONFIG_FAKE = /tmp/deprecated/The-BUILDROOT_CONFIG-environment-variable-was-renamed-to-BR2_CONFIG
+
 # Similar to above for BUILDROOT_CONFIG, but here we have no .config equivalent.
 ifneq ($(BUILDROOT_CONFIG),)
 ifneq ($(BUILDROOT_CONFIG),$(BR2_CONFIG))
+ifneq ($(BUILDROOT_CONFIG),$(BUILDROOT_CONFIG_FAKE))
 $(error "The BUILDROOT_CONFIG environment variable was renamed to BR2_CONFIG.")
 endif
 endif
+endif
 
-# If a script is using the deprecated BUILDROOT_CONFIG, make sure it fails.
-# Add some directories in front just in case someone used dirname on it.
-BUILDROOT_CONFIG = /tmp/deprecated/The-BUILDROOT_CONFIG-environment-variable-was-renamed-to-BR2_CONFIG
+BUILDROOT_CONFIG = $(BUILDROOT_CONFIG_FAKE)
 export BUILDROOT_CONFIG
 
 #
diff --git a/package/pkg-download.mk b/package/pkg-download.mk
index 84598d5257..6d4cbcded4 100644
--- a/package/pkg-download.mk
+++ b/package/pkg-download.mk
@@ -24,10 +24,15 @@ LOCALFILES := $(call qstrip,$(BR2_LOCALFILES))
 DL_MODE=DOWNLOAD
 
 # DL_DIR may have been set already from the environment
+ifeq ($(origin DL_DIR),undefined)
 DL_DIR ?= $(call qstrip,$(BR2_DL_DIR))
 ifeq ($(DL_DIR),)
 DL_DIR := $(TOPDIR)/dl
 endif
+else
+# Restore the BR2_DL_DIR that was overridden by the .config file
+BR2_DL_DIR = $(DL_DIR)
+endif
 
 # ensure it exists and a absolute path
 DL_DIR := $(shell mkdir -p $(DL_DIR) && cd $(DL_DIR) >/dev/null && pwd)