diff --git a/linux/linux.mk b/linux/linux.mk
index 045294b2ca..3c53a0bc05 100644
--- a/linux/linux.mk
+++ b/linux/linux.mk
@@ -304,7 +304,7 @@ endif
 # configuration has changed.
 define LINUX_BUILD_CMDS
 	$(if $(BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_USE_CUSTOM_DTS),
-		cp $(call qstrip,$(BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_CUSTOM_DTS_PATH)) $(KERNEL_ARCH_PATH)/boot/dts/)
+		cp -f $(call qstrip,$(BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_CUSTOM_DTS_PATH)) $(KERNEL_ARCH_PATH)/boot/dts/)
 	$(LINUX_MAKE_ENV) $(MAKE) $(LINUX_MAKE_FLAGS) -C $(@D) $(LINUX_TARGET_NAME)
 	@if grep -q "CONFIG_MODULES=y" $(@D)/.config; then 	\
 		$(LINUX_MAKE_ENV) $(MAKE) $(LINUX_MAKE_FLAGS) -C $(@D) modules ;	\