diff --git a/source/Makefile.mk b/source/Makefile.mk
index 876dc5c9a2..6d1b248592 100644
--- a/source/Makefile.mk
+++ b/source/Makefile.mk
@@ -623,10 +623,12 @@ ifneq ($(DEBUG),true)
 ifneq ($(TESTBUILD),true)
 ifneq (,$(wildcard $(CWD)/native-plugins/external/Makefile.mk))
 EXTERNAL_PLUGINS = true
+ifeq ($(EXTERNAL_PLUGINS),true)
 BASE_FLAGS += -DHAVE_EXTERNAL_PLUGINS
 include $(CWD)/native-plugins/external/Makefile.mk
 endif
 endif
 endif
+endif
 
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------