diff --git a/package/tar/tar.mk b/package/tar/tar.mk
index eea112ebc7..8a612b6f45 100644
--- a/package/tar/tar.mk
+++ b/package/tar/tar.mk
@@ -7,9 +7,15 @@
 TAR_VERSION = 1.35
 TAR_SOURCE = tar-$(TAR_VERSION).tar.xz
 TAR_SITE = $(BR2_GNU_MIRROR)/tar
-# busybox installs in /bin, so we need tar to install as well in /bin
-# so that we don't end up with two different tar
-TAR_CONF_OPTS = --exec-prefix=/
+# --exec-prefix=/: busybox installs in /bin, so we need tar to install
+# as well in /bin so that we don't end up with two different tar
+#
+# --disable-year2038: tells the configure script to not abort if the
+# system is not Y2038 compliant. tar will support year2038 if the
+# system is compliant even with this option passed
+TAR_CONF_OPTS = \
+	--exec-prefix=/ \
+	--disable-year2038
 TAR_LICENSE = GPL-3.0+
 TAR_LICENSE_FILES = COPYING
 TAR_CPE_ID_VENDOR = gnu