diff --git a/package/module-init-tools/module-init-tools.mk b/package/module-init-tools/module-init-tools.mk
index a14de6044b..b51a3209a7 100644
--- a/package/module-init-tools/module-init-tools.mk
+++ b/package/module-init-tools/module-init-tools.mk
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ $(MODULE_INIT_TOOLS_DIR2)/$(MODULE_INIT_TOOLS_BINARY): $(MODULE_INIT_TOOLS_DIR2)
 
 
 $(STAGING_DIR)/bin/$(GNU_TARGET_NAME)-depmod26: $(MODULE_INIT_TOOLS_DIR2)/$(MODULE_INIT_TOOLS_BINARY)
-	cp $(MODULE_INIT_TOOLS_DIR2)/$(MODULE_INIT_TOOLS_BINARY) $(STAGING_DIR)/bin/$(GNU_TARGET_NAME)-depmod26
+	$(INSTALL) -D $(MODULE_INIT_TOOLS_DIR2)/$(MODULE_INIT_TOOLS_BINARY) $(STAGING_DIR)/bin/$(GNU_TARGET_NAME)-depmod26
 
 cross-depmod26: $(STAGING_DIR)/bin/$(GNU_TARGET_NAME)-depmod26