diff --git a/package/tar/tar.mk b/package/tar/tar.mk
index 8a612b6f45..eea112ebc7 100644
--- a/package/tar/tar.mk
+++ b/package/tar/tar.mk
@@ -7,15 +7,9 @@
 TAR_VERSION = 1.35
 TAR_SOURCE = tar-$(TAR_VERSION).tar.xz
 TAR_SITE = $(BR2_GNU_MIRROR)/tar
-# --exec-prefix=/: busybox installs in /bin, so we need tar to install
-# as well in /bin so that we don't end up with two different tar
-#
-# --disable-year2038: tells the configure script to not abort if the
-# system is not Y2038 compliant. tar will support year2038 if the
-# system is compliant even with this option passed
-TAR_CONF_OPTS = \
-	--exec-prefix=/ \
-	--disable-year2038
+# busybox installs in /bin, so we need tar to install as well in /bin
+# so that we don't end up with two different tar
+TAR_CONF_OPTS = --exec-prefix=/
 TAR_LICENSE = GPL-3.0+
 TAR_LICENSE_FILES = COPYING
 TAR_CPE_ID_VENDOR = gnu