diff --git a/package/base-files/files/etc/preinit b/package/base-files/files/etc/preinit
index c60a0f850f..588db8ede9 100755
--- a/package/base-files/files/etc/preinit
+++ b/package/base-files/files/etc/preinit
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 # Copyright (C) 2006 OpenWrt.org
 export PATH=/bin:/sbin:/usr/bin:/usr/sbin
+export HOME=/tmp
 [ -e /etc/preinit.arch ] && . /etc/preinit.arch
 mount_root ${FAILSAFE:+failsafe}
 exec /sbin/init