diff --git a/Config.in b/Config.in
index ea060bc39a..12d36b5c83 100644
--- a/Config.in
+++ b/Config.in
@@ -492,3 +492,5 @@ source "boot/Config.in"
 source "package/Config.in.host"
 
 source "Config.in.legacy"
+
+source "$BR2_EXTERNAL/Config.in"
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index f92fd9b2c3..09bc83adda 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -364,6 +364,8 @@ include boot/common.mk
 include linux/linux.mk
 include system/system.mk
 
+include $(BR2_EXTERNAL)/external.mk
+
 TARGETS+=target-finalize
 
 ifeq ($(BR2_ENABLE_LOCALE_PURGE),y)
diff --git a/support/dummy-external/Config.in b/support/dummy-external/Config.in
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e69de29bb2
diff --git a/support/dummy-external/external.mk b/support/dummy-external/external.mk
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e69de29bb2