diff --git a/toolchain/helpers.mk b/toolchain/helpers.mk
index 1792286add..e5520c00c3 100644
--- a/toolchain/helpers.mk
+++ b/toolchain/helpers.mk
@@ -241,14 +241,11 @@ check_glibc = \
 # $2: cross-readelf path
 check_musl = \
 	__CROSS_CC=$(strip $1) ; \
-	__CROSS_READELF=$(strip $2) ; \
-	echo 'void main(void) {}' | $${__CROSS_CC} -x c -o $(BUILD_DIR)/.br-toolchain-test.tmp - >/dev/null 2>&1; \
-	if ! $${__CROSS_READELF} -l $(BUILD_DIR)/.br-toolchain-test.tmp 2> /dev/null | grep 'program interpreter: /lib/ld-musl' -q; then \
-		rm -f $(BUILD_DIR)/.br-toolchain-test.tmp*; \
+	libc_a_path=`$${__CROSS_CC} -print-file-name=libc.a` ; \
+	if ! strings $${libc_a_path} | grep -q MUSL_LOCPATH ; then \
 		echo "Incorrect selection of the C library" ; \
 		exit -1; \
-	fi ; \
-	rm -f $(BUILD_DIR)/.br-toolchain-test.tmp*
+	fi
 
 #
 # Check the conformity of Buildroot configuration with regard to the
diff --git a/toolchain/toolchain-external/pkg-toolchain-external.mk b/toolchain/toolchain-external/pkg-toolchain-external.mk
index 8b2c283654..02d992531d 100644
--- a/toolchain/toolchain-external/pkg-toolchain-external.mk
+++ b/toolchain/toolchain-external/pkg-toolchain-external.mk
@@ -557,8 +557,7 @@ define $(2)_CONFIGURE_CMDS
 		$$(call check_uclibc,$$$${SYSROOT_DIR}) ; \
 	elif test "$$(BR2_TOOLCHAIN_EXTERNAL_MUSL)" = "y" ; then \
 		$$(call check_musl,\
-			"$$(TOOLCHAIN_EXTERNAL_CC) $$(TOOLCHAIN_EXTERNAL_CFLAGS)",\
-			$$(TOOLCHAIN_EXTERNAL_READELF)) ; \
+			"$$(TOOLCHAIN_EXTERNAL_CC) $$(TOOLCHAIN_EXTERNAL_CFLAGS)") ; \
 	else \
 		$$(call check_glibc,$$$${SYSROOT_DIR}) ; \
 	fi