diff --git a/package/Makefile.in b/package/Makefile.in
index f415e55f84..5476234c7e 100644
--- a/package/Makefile.in
+++ b/package/Makefile.in
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ endif
 INSTALL := $(shell which install || type -p install)
 UNZIP := $(shell which unzip || type -p unzip) -q
 
-APPLY_PATCHES = PATH=$(HOST_DIR)/bin:$$PATH support/scripts/apply-patches.sh $(if $(QUIET),-s)
+APPLY_PATCHES = TAR="$(TAR)" PATH=$(HOST_DIR)/bin:$$PATH support/scripts/apply-patches.sh $(if $(QUIET),-s)
 
 HOST_CPPFLAGS  = -I$(HOST_DIR)/include
 HOST_CFLAGS   ?= -O2
diff --git a/support/scripts/apply-patches.sh b/support/scripts/apply-patches.sh
index 6da83f6826..4e633b23be 100755
--- a/support/scripts/apply-patches.sh
+++ b/support/scripts/apply-patches.sh
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ function scan_patchdir {
                 unpackedarchivedir="$builddir/.patches-$(basename $i)-unpacked"
                 rm -rf "$unpackedarchivedir" 2> /dev/null
                 mkdir "$unpackedarchivedir"
-                tar -C "$unpackedarchivedir" -xaf "${path}/$i"
+                ${TAR} -C "$unpackedarchivedir" -xaf "${path}/$i"
                 scan_patchdir "$unpackedarchivedir"
             else
                 apply_patch "$path" "$i"