diff --git a/package/pkg-generic.mk b/package/pkg-generic.mk
index 20ee73d438..3c6a1839ff 100644
--- a/package/pkg-generic.mk
+++ b/package/pkg-generic.mk
@@ -432,7 +432,8 @@ endif
 
 $(2)_BASENAME	= $$(if $$($(2)_VERSION),$(1)-$$($(2)_VERSION),$(1))
 $(2)_BASENAME_RAW = $$(if $$($(2)_VERSION),$$($(2)_RAWNAME)-$$($(2)_VERSION),$$($(2)_RAWNAME))
-$(2)_DL_DIR 	=  $$(DL_DIR)/$$($(2)_RAWNAME)
+$(2)_DL_SUBDIR ?= $$($(2)_RAWNAME)
+$(2)_DL_DIR = $$(DL_DIR)/$$($(2)_DL_SUBDIR)
 $(2)_DIR	=  $$(BUILD_DIR)/$$($(2)_BASENAME)
 
 ifndef $(2)_SUBDIR