diff --git a/src/agent/Makefile b/src/agent/Makefile
index a47e699110..94864aa9be 100644
--- a/src/agent/Makefile
+++ b/src/agent/Makefile
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ endif
 TARGET_PATH = target/$(TRIPLE)/$(BUILD_TYPE)/$(TARGET)
 
 ##VAR DESTDIR=<path> is a directory prepended to each installed target file
-DESTDIR :=
+DESTDIR ?=
 ##VAR BINDIR=<path> is a directory for installing executable programs
 BINDIR := /usr/bin