diff --git a/target/imagebuilder/files/Makefile b/target/imagebuilder/files/Makefile
index 44b4a380c3..6b94aef391 100644
--- a/target/imagebuilder/files/Makefile
+++ b/target/imagebuilder/files/Makefile
@@ -110,9 +110,11 @@ _call_info: FORCE
 	echo 'Available Profiles:'
 	echo; $(PROFILE_LIST)
 
-BUILD_PACKAGES:=$(USER_PACKAGES) $(sort $(DEFAULT_PACKAGES) $($(USER_PROFILE)_PACKAGES) kernel)
+BUILD_PACKAGES:=$(sort $(DEFAULT_PACKAGES) $($(USER_PROFILE)_PACKAGES) kernel)
 # "-pkgname" in the package list means remove "pkgname" from the package list
 BUILD_PACKAGES:=$(filter-out $(filter -%,$(BUILD_PACKAGES)) $(patsubst -%,%,$(filter -%,$(BUILD_PACKAGES))),$(BUILD_PACKAGES))
+BUILD_PACKAGES:=$(USER_PACKAGES) $(BUILD_PACKAGES)
+BUILD_PACKAGES:=$(filter-out $(filter -%,$(BUILD_PACKAGES)) $(patsubst -%,%,$(filter -%,$(BUILD_PACKAGES))),$(BUILD_PACKAGES))
 PACKAGES:=
 
 _call_image: staging_dir/host/.prereq-build