diff --git a/Makefile.dep b/Makefile.dep
index 4b3df3a742..ad9c764824 100644
--- a/Makefile.dep
+++ b/Makefile.dep
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 
 # include external modules dependencies
 # processed before RIOT ones to be evaluated before the 'default' rules.
--include $(EXTERNAL_MODULE_PATHS:%=%/Makefile.dep)
+-include $(EXTERNAL_MODULE_PATHS:%=%Makefile.dep)
 
 # pull dependencies from sys and drivers
 include $(RIOTBASE)/sys/Makefile.dep
diff --git a/Makefile.include b/Makefile.include
index e590eabef9..640e19f150 100644
--- a/Makefile.include
+++ b/Makefile.include
@@ -578,7 +578,7 @@ include $(RIOTBASE)/sys/Makefile.include
 -include $(PKG_PATHS:%=%Makefile.include)
 
 # include external modules configuration
--include $(EXTERNAL_MODULE_PATHS:%=%/Makefile.include)
+-include $(EXTERNAL_MODULE_PATHS:%=%Makefile.include)
 
 # Deduplicate includes without sorting them
 # see https://stackoverflow.com/questions/16144115/makefile-remove-duplicate-words-without-sorting