diff --git a/config/functions b/config/functions
index 27c2c16ad6..bb808f51d5 100644
--- a/config/functions
+++ b/config/functions
@@ -845,8 +845,8 @@ source_package() {
     . ${PKG_DIR}/package.mk || die "FAILURE: an error occurred while sourcing ${PKG_DIR}/package.mk"
     cd "${opwd}"
 
-    [ -z "$PKG_SHORTDESC" ] && PKG_SHORTDESC="$PKG_NAME (autogenerated)"
-    [ -z "$PKG_LONGDESC" ] &&  PKG_LONGDESC="$PKG_NAME (autogenerated)"
+    PKG_SHORTDESC="${PKG_SHORTDESC:-${PKG_NAME} (autogenerated)}"
+    PKG_LONGDESC="${PKG_LONGDESC:-${PKG_NAME} (autogenerated)}"
 
     if [ "$PKG_IS_ADDON" = "yes" -o "$PKG_IS_ADDON" = "embedded" ] ; then
       [ -z $PKG_SECTION ] && PKG_ADDON_ID="$PKG_NAME" || PKG_ADDON_ID="${PKG_SECTION//\//.}.$PKG_NAME"