diff --git a/include/toplevel.mk b/include/toplevel.mk
index 09aec791ba..5fbf5e2ea4 100644
--- a/include/toplevel.mk
+++ b/include/toplevel.mk
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ else
   DOWNLOAD_DIRS = package/download
 endif
 
-download: .config FORCE
+download: .config FORCE $(if $(wildcard $(TOPDIR)/staging_dir/host/bin/flock),,tools/flock/compile)
 	@+$(foreach dir,$(DOWNLOAD_DIRS),$(SUBMAKE) $(dir);)
 
 clean dirclean: .config