diff --git a/toolchain/helpers.mk b/toolchain/helpers.mk
index 03355f56dd..86d945a5b1 100644
--- a/toolchain/helpers.mk
+++ b/toolchain/helpers.mk
@@ -433,6 +433,7 @@ check_unusable_toolchain = \
 # Check if the toolchain has SSP (stack smashing protector) support
 #
 # $1: cross-gcc path
+# $2: gcc ssp option
 #
 check_toolchain_ssp = \
 	__CROSS_CC=$(strip $1) ; \
@@ -445,6 +446,13 @@ check_toolchain_ssp = \
 		echo "SSP support not available in this toolchain, please disable BR2_TOOLCHAIN_EXTERNAL_HAS_SSP" ; \
 		exit 1 ; \
 	fi ; \
+	__SSP_OPTION=$(2); \
+	if [ -n "$${__SSP_OPTION}" ] ; then \
+		if ! echo 'void main(){}' | $${__CROSS_CC} -Werror $${__SSP_OPTION} -x c - -o $(BUILD_DIR)/.br-toolchain-test.tmp >/dev/null 2>&1 ; then \
+			echo "SSP option $${__SSP_OPTION} not available in this toolchain, please select another SSP level" ; \
+			exit 1 ; \
+		fi; \
+	fi; \
 	rm -f $(BUILD_DIR)/.br-toolchain-test.tmp*
 
 #
diff --git a/toolchain/toolchain-external/pkg-toolchain-external.mk b/toolchain/toolchain-external/pkg-toolchain-external.mk
index 894e76ee32..c3ddff263f 100644
--- a/toolchain/toolchain-external/pkg-toolchain-external.mk
+++ b/toolchain/toolchain-external/pkg-toolchain-external.mk
@@ -556,7 +556,7 @@ define $(2)_CONFIGURE_CMDS
 	else \
 		$$(call check_glibc,$$$${SYSROOT_DIR}) ; \
 	fi
-	$$(Q)$$(call check_toolchain_ssp,$$(TOOLCHAIN_EXTERNAL_CC))
+	$$(Q)$$(call check_toolchain_ssp,$$(TOOLCHAIN_EXTERNAL_CC),$(BR2_SSP_OPTION))
 endef
 
 $(2)_TOOLCHAIN_WRAPPER_ARGS += $$(TOOLCHAIN_EXTERNAL_TOOLCHAIN_WRAPPER_ARGS)