diff --git a/rules.mk b/rules.mk
index ae20742bd71..973fd1cbb90 100644
--- a/rules.mk
+++ b/rules.mk
@@ -141,8 +141,8 @@ ifeq ($(or $(CONFIG_EXTERNAL_TOOLCHAIN),$(CONFIG_TARGET_uml)),)
   iremap = -f$(if $(CONFIG_REPRODUCIBLE_DEBUG_INFO),file,macro)-prefix-map=$(1)=$(2)
 endif
 
-PACKAGE_DIR:=$(BIN_DIR)/packages
-PACKAGE_DIR_ALL:=$(TOPDIR)/staging_dir/packages/$(BOARD)
+PACKAGE_DIR?=$(BIN_DIR)/packages
+PACKAGE_DIR_ALL?=$(TOPDIR)/staging_dir/packages/$(BOARD)
 BUILD_DIR:=$(BUILD_DIR_BASE)/$(TARGET_DIR_NAME)
 STAGING_DIR:=$(TOPDIR)/staging_dir/$(TARGET_DIR_NAME)
 BUILD_DIR_TOOLCHAIN:=$(BUILD_DIR_BASE)/$(TOOLCHAIN_DIR_NAME)