diff --git a/package/base-files/image-config.in b/package/base-files/image-config.in
index a9b37a3292..30826497e7 100644
--- a/package/base-files/image-config.in
+++ b/package/base-files/image-config.in
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ menuconfig INITOPT
 	config TARGET_INIT_PATH
 		string
 		prompt "PATH for regular boot" if INITOPT
-		default "/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin"
+		default "/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin"
 		help
 			Default PATH used during normal operation
 
diff --git a/rules.mk b/rules.mk
index 54df407fca..1360b30630 100644
--- a/rules.mk
+++ b/rules.mk
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ STAGING_DIR_HOSTPKG:=$(abspath $(STAGING_DIR)/../hostpkg)
 
 TARGET_PATH:=$(subst $(space),:,$(filter-out .,$(filter-out ./,$(subst :,$(space),$(PATH)))))
 TARGET_INIT_PATH:=$(call qstrip,$(CONFIG_TARGET_INIT_PATH))
-TARGET_INIT_PATH:=$(if $(TARGET_INIT_PATH),$(TARGET_INIT_PATH),/usr/sbin:/sbin:/usr/bin:/bin)
+TARGET_INIT_PATH:=$(if $(TARGET_INIT_PATH),$(TARGET_INIT_PATH),/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin)
 TARGET_CFLAGS:=$(TARGET_OPTIMIZATION)$(if $(CONFIG_DEBUG), -g3) $(call qstrip,$(CONFIG_EXTRA_OPTIMIZATION))
 TARGET_CXXFLAGS = $(TARGET_CFLAGS)
 TARGET_ASFLAGS_DEFAULT = $(TARGET_CFLAGS)