diff --git a/package/pkg-utils.mk b/package/pkg-utils.mk
index ba3da68a7b..5d5980b098 100644
--- a/package/pkg-utils.mk
+++ b/package/pkg-utils.mk
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ ifeq ($(BR2_PER_PACKAGE_DIRECTORIES),y)
 define per-package-rsync
 	mkdir -p $(3)
 	$(foreach pkg,$(1),\
-		rsync -a \
+		rsync -a --link-dest=$(PER_PACKAGE_DIR)/$(pkg)/$(2)/ \
 			$(PER_PACKAGE_DIR)/$(pkg)/$(2)/ \
 			$(3)$(sep))
 endef