diff --git a/libavcodec/Makefile b/libavcodec/Makefile
index 42796e493e..d8e246254d 100644
--- a/libavcodec/Makefile
+++ b/libavcodec/Makefile
@@ -293,7 +293,7 @@ OBJS+= liba52/bit_allocate.o liba52/bitstream.o liba52/downmix.o \
 endif
 endif
 
-EXTRALIBS += -L../libavutil -lavutil$(BUILDSUF)
+EXTRALIBS := -L../libavutil -lavutil$(BUILDSUF) $(EXTRALIBS)
 
 # currently using libdts for dts decoding
 ifeq ($(CONFIG_DTS),yes)
diff --git a/libavformat/Makefile b/libavformat/Makefile
index 42bc01f9ec..e5e7efaec6 100644
--- a/libavformat/Makefile
+++ b/libavformat/Makefile
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ ifeq ($(CONFIG_AUDIO_OSS),yes)
 OBJS+= audio.o
 endif
 
-EXTRALIBS += -L../libavutil -lavutil$(BUILDSUF) -lavcodec$(BUILDSUF) -L../libavcodec
+EXTRALIBS := -L../libavutil -lavutil$(BUILDSUF) -lavcodec$(BUILDSUF) -L../libavcodec $(EXTRALIBS)
 
 ifeq ($(CONFIG_AUDIO_BEOS),yes)
 CPPOBJS+= beosaudio.o