diff --git a/openwrt/rules.mk b/openwrt/rules.mk
index 3866ede8f1..31c2b4f914 100644
--- a/openwrt/rules.mk
+++ b/openwrt/rules.mk
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ endif
 IPKG_BUILD := PATH="$(TARGET_PATH)" ipkg-build -c -o root -g root
 # where to build (and put) .ipk packages
 IPKG_TARGET_DIR := $(PACKAGE_DIR)
-IPKG:=IPKG_TMP=$(BUILD_DIR)/tmp IPKG_INSTROOT=$(TARGET_DIR) IPKG_CONF_DIR=$(STAGING_DIR)/etc $(SCRIPT_DIR)/ipkg -force-defaults -force-depends
+IPKG:=IPKG_TMP=$(BUILD_DIR)/tmp IPKG_INSTROOT=$(TARGET_DIR) IPKG_CONF_DIR=$(STAGING_DIR)/etc IPKG_OFFLINE_ROOT=$(BUILD_DIR)/root $(SCRIPT_DIR)/ipkg -force-defaults -force-depends
 IPKG_STATE_DIR := $(TARGET_DIR)/usr/lib/ipkg
 
 RSTRIP:=STRIP="$(STRIP)" $(SCRIPT_DIR)/rstrip.sh