diff --git a/package/Makefile.in b/package/Makefile.in
index 9fbe960759..3e276d23d6 100644
--- a/package/Makefile.in
+++ b/package/Makefile.in
@@ -263,7 +263,9 @@ export PERL=$(shell which perl)
 # finds this perl module by exporting the proper value for PERL5LIB.
 export PERL5LIB=$(HOST_DIR)/lib/perl
 
-TARGET_MAKE_ENV = PATH=$(BR_PATH)
+TARGET_MAKE_ENV = \
+	GIT_DIR=. \
+	PATH=$(BR_PATH)
 
 TARGET_CONFIGURE_OPTS = \
 	$(TARGET_MAKE_ENV) \
@@ -307,6 +309,7 @@ TARGET_CONFIGURE_OPTS = \
 
 
 HOST_MAKE_ENV = \
+	GIT_DIR=. \
 	PATH=$(BR_PATH) \
 	PKG_CONFIG="$(PKG_CONFIG_HOST_BINARY)" \
 	PKG_CONFIG_SYSROOT_DIR="/" \