diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index c23ec71605..8cadf5c3a3 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -350,7 +350,7 @@ _source-check:
 
 external-deps:
 	@$(MAKE) -Bs BR2_WGET=$(TOPDIR)/toolchain/wget-show-external-deps.sh \
-	source
+		SPIDER=--spider source
 
 #############################################################
 #
diff --git a/package/Makefile.autotools.in b/package/Makefile.autotools.in
index 16fc371927..5e94b447ed 100644
--- a/package/Makefile.autotools.in
+++ b/package/Makefile.autotools.in
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ TAR ?= tar
 # Retrieve and unpack the archive
 $(BUILD_DIR)/%/.stamp_downloaded:
 # support make source-check/external-deps
-ifeq ($(MAKELEVEL),1)
+ifneq ($(SPIDER),)
 	$(WGET) -P $(DL_DIR) $($(PKG)_SITE)/$($(PKG)_SOURCE)
 	$(if $($(PKG)_PATCH),$(WGET) -P $(DL_DIR) $($(PKG)_SITE)/$($(PKG)_PATCH))
 else