diff --git a/package/network/utils/iptables/Makefile b/package/network/utils/iptables/Makefile
index 1c1a6842ba36420372017702e6d305660b53970f..6f7529c736a3f7dcf90fccf95e6f001ec9e8c8dc 100644
--- a/package/network/utils/iptables/Makefile
+++ b/package/network/utils/iptables/Makefile
@@ -24,10 +24,6 @@ PKG_INSTALL:=1
 PKG_BUILD_PARALLEL:=1
 PKG_LICENSE:=GPL-2.0
 
-ifneq ($(CONFIG_EXTERNAL_KERNEL_TREE),"")
-PATCH_DIR:=
-endif
-
 include $(INCLUDE_DIR)/package.mk
 ifeq ($(DUMP),)
   -include $(LINUX_DIR)/.config