diff --git a/linux/linux.mk b/linux/linux.mk
index e9c37ebc7d..639e4cee96 100644
--- a/linux/linux.mk
+++ b/linux/linux.mk
@@ -86,7 +86,9 @@ $(LINUX26_DIR)/.stamp_configured: $(LINUX26_DIR)/.stamp_patched
 ifeq ($(BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_USE_DEFCONFIG),y)
 	$(TARGET_MAKE_ENV) $(MAKE1) $(LINUX26_MAKE_FLAGS) -C $(@D) $(call qstrip,$(BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_DEFCONFIG))_defconfig
 else ifeq ($(BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_USE_CUSTOM_CONFIG),y)
-	cp $(BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_CUSTOM_CONFIG_FILE) $(@D)/.config
+	cp $(BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_CUSTOM_CONFIG_FILE) $(@D)/arch/$(KERNEL_ARCH)/configs/buildroot_defconfig
+	$(TARGET_MAKE_ENV) $(MAKE1) $(LINUX26_MAKE_FLAGS) -C $(@D) buildroot_defconfig
+	rm $(@D)/arch/$(KERNEL_ARCH)/configs/buildroot_defconfig
 endif
 ifeq ($(BR2_ARM_EABI),y)
 	$(call KCONFIG_ENABLE_OPT,CONFIG_AEABI,$(@D)/.config)