diff --git a/package/iptables/Makefile b/package/iptables/Makefile
index 1879454c6d..1c98b0314c 100644
--- a/package/iptables/Makefile
+++ b/package/iptables/Makefile
@@ -20,9 +20,9 @@ PKG_SOURCE_URL:=http://www.netfilter.org/projects/iptables/files \
 	ftp://ftp.no.netfilter.org/pub/netfilter/iptables/
 
 ifeq ($(CONFIG_EXTERNAL_KERNEL_TREE),)
-PATCH_DIR:=./patches/$(PKG_VERSION)
-else
 PATCH_DIR:=
+else
+PATCH_DIR:=./patches/$(PKG_VERSION)
 endif
 
 PKG_FIXUP = libtool