diff --git a/package/pkg-download.mk b/package/pkg-download.mk
index a38062e4d..f6ed8be56 100644
--- a/package/pkg-download.mk
+++ b/package/pkg-download.mk
@@ -56,7 +56,9 @@ domainseparator = $(if $(1),$(1),/)
 github = https://github.com/$(1)/$(2)/archive/$(3)
 
 # Expressly do not check hashes for those files
-export BR_NO_CHECK_HASH_FOR
+# Exported variables default to immediately expanded in some versions of
+# make, but we need it to be recursively-epxanded, so explicitly assign it.
+export BR_NO_CHECK_HASH_FOR =
 
 ################################################################################
 # The DOWNLOAD_* helpers are in charge of getting a working copy