diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 24ac6ac2b..891349b5a 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -41,9 +41,11 @@ DIRS-y += lib test examples app include
 .PHONY: all clean $(DIRS-y) config.h CONFIG.local mk/cc.mk
 
 ifeq ($(CURDIR)/dpdk/build,$(CONFIG_DPDK_DIR))
+ifneq ($(SKIP_DPDK_BUILD),1)
 DPDKBUILD = dpdkbuild
 DIRS-y += dpdkbuild
 endif
+endif
 
 all: $(DIRS-y)
 clean: $(DIRS-y)