diff --git a/include/download.mk b/include/download.mk
index 1627b4fdfbc..33141910fce 100644
--- a/include/download.mk
+++ b/include/download.mk
@@ -19,17 +19,23 @@ endif
 
 DOWNLOAD_RDEP=$(STAMP_PREPARED) $(HOST_STAMP_PREPARED)
 
+define dl_method_git
+$(if $(filter https://github.com/% git://github.com/%,$(1)),github_archive,git)
+endef
+
 # Try to guess the download method from the URL
 define dl_method
 $(strip \
-  $(if $(2),$(2), \
-    $(if $(filter @APACHE/% @GITHUB/% @GNOME/% @GNU/% @KERNEL/% @SF/% @SAVANNAH/% ftp://% http://% https://% file://%,$(1)),default, \
-      $(if $(filter git://%,$(1)),git, \
-        $(if $(filter svn://%,$(1)),svn, \
-          $(if $(filter cvs://%,$(1)),cvs, \
-            $(if $(filter hg://%,$(1)),hg, \
-              $(if $(filter sftp://%,$(1)),bzr, \
-                unknown \
+  $(if $(filter git,$(2)),$(call dl_method_git,$(1),$(2)),
+    $(if $(2),$(2), \
+      $(if $(filter @APACHE/% @GITHUB/% @GNOME/% @GNU/% @KERNEL/% @SF/% @SAVANNAH/% ftp://% http://% https://% file://%,$(1)),default, \
+        $(if $(filter git://%,$(1)),$(call dl_method_git,$(1),$(2)), \
+          $(if $(filter svn://%,$(1)),svn, \
+            $(if $(filter cvs://%,$(1)),cvs, \
+              $(if $(filter hg://%,$(1)),hg, \
+                $(if $(filter sftp://%,$(1)),bzr, \
+                  unknown \
+                ) \
               ) \
             ) \
           ) \