diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 31624f77a2..09e769f613 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -188,6 +188,9 @@ ifneq ($(BR2_EXTERNAL_ERROR),)
 $(error $(BR2_EXTERNAL_ERROR))
 endif
 
+# Workaround bug in make-4.3: https://savannah.gnu.org/bugs/?57676
+$(BASE_DIR)/.br2-external.mk:;
+
 # To make sure that the environment variable overrides the .config option,
 # set this before including .config.
 ifneq ($(BR2_DL_DIR),)