diff --git a/package/base/modutils/modutils.conf b/package/base/modutils/modutils.conf
index e8db527b7..3da5c3f2a 100644
--- a/package/base/modutils/modutils.conf
+++ b/package/base/modutils/modutils.conf
@@ -51,9 +51,5 @@ if [ -f $root/var/adm/flists/module-init-tools ] ; then
 	postfix=".old"
 fi
 
-var_append CFLAGS "-I$root/usr/src/linux/include"
-
-# modutils is using $(STRIP) for install -s option
-var_remove makeopt " " 'STRIP="$STRIP"'
-var_remove makeinstopt " " 'STRIP="$STRIP"'
+var_append CFLAGS " " "-I$root/usr/src/linux/include"