diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 6cee02796b..9c870d929b 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -786,13 +786,16 @@ defconfig: $(BUILD_DIR)/buildroot-config/conf outputmakefile
 	@mkdir -p $(BUILD_DIR)/buildroot-config
 	@$(COMMON_CONFIG_ENV) $< --defconfig$(if $(DEFCONFIG),=$(DEFCONFIG)) $(CONFIG_CONFIG_IN)
 
+# Override the BR2_DEFCONFIG from COMMON_CONFIG_ENV with the new defconfig
 %_defconfig: $(BUILD_DIR)/buildroot-config/conf $(TOPDIR)/configs/%_defconfig outputmakefile
 	@mkdir -p $(BUILD_DIR)/buildroot-config
-	@$(COMMON_CONFIG_ENV) $< --defconfig=$(TOPDIR)/configs/$@ $(CONFIG_CONFIG_IN)
+	@$(COMMON_CONFIG_ENV) BR2_DEFCONFIG=$(TOPDIR)/configs/$@ \
+		$< --defconfig=$(TOPDIR)/configs/$@ $(CONFIG_CONFIG_IN)
 
 %_defconfig: $(BUILD_DIR)/buildroot-config/conf $(BR2_EXTERNAL)/configs/%_defconfig outputmakefile
 	@mkdir -p $(BUILD_DIR)/buildroot-config
-	@$(COMMON_CONFIG_ENV) $< --defconfig=$(BR2_EXTERNAL)/configs/$@ $(CONFIG_CONFIG_IN)
+	@$(COMMON_CONFIG_ENV) BR2_DEFCONFIG=$(BR2_EXTERNAL)/configs/$@ \
+		$< --defconfig=$(BR2_EXTERNAL)/configs/$@ $(CONFIG_CONFIG_IN)
 
 savedefconfig: $(BUILD_DIR)/buildroot-config/conf outputmakefile
 	@mkdir -p $(BUILD_DIR)/buildroot-config