diff --git a/include/package-ipkg.mk b/include/package-ipkg.mk
index e168eb390f..d9b6f77cc4 100644
--- a/include/package-ipkg.mk
+++ b/include/package-ipkg.mk
@@ -209,11 +209,13 @@ $(_endef)
 		( \
 			echo "#!/bin/sh"; \
 			echo "[ \"\$$$${IPKG_NO_SCRIPT}\" = \"1\" ] && exit 0"; \
+			echo "[ -x "\$$$${IPKG_INSTROOT}/lib/functions.sh" ] || exit 0"; \
 			echo ". \$$$${IPKG_INSTROOT}/lib/functions.sh"; \
 			echo "default_postinst \$$$$0 \$$$$@"; \
 		) > postinst; \
 		( \
 			echo "#!/bin/sh"; \
+			echo "[ -x "\$$$${IPKG_INSTROOT}/lib/functions.sh" ] || exit 0"; \
 			echo ". \$$$${IPKG_INSTROOT}/lib/functions.sh"; \
 			echo "default_prerm \$$$$0 \$$$$@"; \
 		) > prerm; \