diff --git a/include/kernel.mk b/include/kernel.mk
index 09aba40768..32d686c489 100644
--- a/include/kernel.mk
+++ b/include/kernel.mk
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ define KernelPackage
     TITLE:=$(TITLE)
     SECTION:=kernel
     CATEGORY:=Kernel modules
-    DEFAULT:=m
+    DEFAULT:=$(KMOD_DEFAULT)
     DESCRIPTION:=$(DESCRIPTION)
     EXTRA_DEPENDS:='kernel (=$(LINUX_VERSION)-$(BOARD)-$(LINUX_RELEASE))'
     $(call KernelPackage/$(1))
diff --git a/package/kernel/Makefile b/package/kernel/Makefile
index a030ad7236..e58b310259 100644
--- a/package/kernel/Makefile
+++ b/package/kernel/Makefile
@@ -15,6 +15,9 @@ PKG_RELEASE:=$(LINUX_RELEASE)
 
 PKG_BUILD_DIR:=$(KERNEL_BUILD_DIR)/packages
 
+# build all in-tree kmod-* packages by default
+KMOD_DEFAULT:=m
+
 include $(INCLUDE_DIR)/package.mk
 ifeq ($(DUMP),)
   -include $(LINUX_DIR)/.config