diff --git a/package/iptables/Makefile b/package/iptables/Makefile
index 1e32022138b..6590d990ef6 100644
--- a/package/iptables/Makefile
+++ b/package/iptables/Makefile
@@ -19,12 +19,6 @@ PKG_SOURCE_URL:=http://www.netfilter.org/projects/iptables/files \
 	ftp://ftp.de.netfilter.org/pub/netfilter/iptables/ \
 	ftp://ftp.no.netfilter.org/pub/netfilter/iptables/
 
-ifeq ($(CONFIG_EXTERNAL_KERNEL_TREE),)
-PATCH_DIR:=
-else
-PATCH_DIR:=./patches/$(PKG_VERSION)
-endif
-
 PKG_FIXUP = libtool
 
 include $(INCLUDE_DIR)/package.mk