diff --git a/target/cpio/cpioroot.mk b/target/cpio/cpioroot.mk
index c18261e27a..89bb9a52eb 100644
--- a/target/cpio/cpioroot.mk
+++ b/target/cpio/cpioroot.mk
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ ifneq ($(BR2_HAVE_INFOPAGES),y)
 endif
 	$(if $(TARGET_LDCONFIG),test -x $(TARGET_LDCONFIG) && $(TARGET_LDCONFIG) -r $(TARGET_DIR) 2>/dev/null)
 	# Use fakeroot to pretend all target binaries are owned by root
-	rm -f $(PROJECT_BUILD_DIR)/_fakeroot.$(notdir $(TAR_TARGET))
+	rm -f $(PROJECT_BUILD_DIR)/_fakeroot.$(notdir $(CPIO_BASE))
 	touch $(PROJECT_BUILD_DIR)/.fakeroot.00000
 	cat $(PROJECT_BUILD_DIR)/.fakeroot* > $(PROJECT_BUILD_DIR)/_fakeroot.$(notdir $(CPIO_BASE))
 	echo "chown -R 0:0 $(TARGET_DIR)" >> $(PROJECT_BUILD_DIR)/_fakeroot.$(notdir $(CPIO_BASE))