diff --git a/package/pkg-generic.mk b/package/pkg-generic.mk
index fb4b849f92..d04fd36db9 100644
--- a/package/pkg-generic.mk
+++ b/package/pkg-generic.mk
@@ -318,14 +318,14 @@ $(2)_RAWNAME			=  $$(patsubst host-%,%,$(1))
 # version control system branch or tag, for example remotes/origin/1_10_stable.
 ifndef $(2)_VERSION
  ifdef $(3)_VERSION
-  $(2)_DL_VERSION = $$($(3)_VERSION)
+  $(2)_DL_VERSION := $$($(3)_VERSION)
   $(2)_VERSION := $$(subst /,_,$$($(3)_VERSION))
  else
   $(2)_VERSION = undefined
   $(2)_DL_VERSION = undefined
  endif
 else
-  $(2)_DL_VERSION = $$($(2)_VERSION)
+  $(2)_DL_VERSION := $$($(2)_VERSION)
   $(2)_VERSION := $$(subst /,_,$$($(2)_VERSION))
 endif