diff --git a/meta/recipes-kernel/linux-module/files/debian/rules.tmpl b/meta/recipes-kernel/linux-module/files/debian/rules.tmpl
index d3bd7dc30f21..0d16186b5ff3 100755
--- a/meta/recipes-kernel/linux-module/files/debian/rules.tmpl
+++ b/meta/recipes-kernel/linux-module/files/debian/rules.tmpl
@@ -48,13 +48,13 @@ KDIR := $(shell dpkg -L $(KERNEL_DEP) | grep "/lib/modules/.*/build")
 endif
 
 override_dh_auto_clean:
-	$(MAKE) -C $(KDIR) M=$(PWD) clean
+	$(MAKE) KDIR=$(KDIR) clean
 
 override_dh_auto_build:
-	$(MAKE) -C $(KDIR) M=$(PWD) modules
+	$(MAKE) KDIR=$(KDIR) modules
 
 override_dh_auto_install:
-	$(MAKE) -C $(KDIR) M=$(PWD) INSTALL_MOD_PATH=$(PWD)/debian/${PN} modules_install
+	$(MAKE) KDIR=$(KDIR) INSTALL_MOD_PATH=$(PWD)/debian/${PN} modules_install
 
 %:
 	CFLAGS= LDFLAGS= dh $@ --parallel