diff --git a/packages/linux/package.mk b/packages/linux/package.mk
index 2214aa550e..e8e9200ff0 100644
--- a/packages/linux/package.mk
+++ b/packages/linux/package.mk
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ PKG_LICENSE="GPL"
 PKG_SITE="http://www.kernel.org"
 PKG_DEPENDS_HOST="ccache:host rsync:host openssl:host"
 PKG_DEPENDS_TARGET="toolchain linux:host cpio:host kmod:host xz:host wireless-regdb keyutils $KERNEL_EXTRA_DEPENDS_TARGET"
-PKG_NEED_UNPACK="$LINUX_DEPENDS $(get_pkg_directory busybox)"
+PKG_NEED_UNPACK="$LINUX_DEPENDS $(get_pkg_directory initramfs) $(get_pkg_variable initramfs PKG_NEED_UNPACK)"
 PKG_LONGDESC="This package contains a precompiled kernel image and the modules."
 PKG_IS_KERNEL_PKG="yes"
 PKG_STAMP="$KERNEL_TARGET $KERNEL_MAKE_EXTRACMD"