diff --git a/payloads/libpayload/Makefile b/payloads/libpayload/Makefile
index f3544d413a..206785c5ab 100644
--- a/payloads/libpayload/Makefile
+++ b/payloads/libpayload/Makefile
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ export CONFIG_ := CONFIG_LP_
 TOPLEVEL := .
 
 CONFIG_LP_SHELL := sh
-KBUILD_DEFCONFIG := configs/defconfig
+KBUILD_DEFCONFIG ?= configs/defconfig
 UNAME_RELEASE := $(shell uname -r)
 DOTCONFIG ?= .config
 KCONFIG_CONFIG = $(DOTCONFIG)