diff --git a/include/image.mk b/include/image.mk
index 48911e4057..7f0d27b746 100644
--- a/include/image.mk
+++ b/include/image.mk
@@ -301,7 +301,7 @@ endif
 
 ifdef CONFIG_TARGET_ROOTFS_CPIOGZ
   define Image/Build/cpiogz
-	( cd $(TARGET_DIR); find . | cpio -o -H newc -R root:root | gzip -9n >$(BIN_DIR)/$(IMG_ROOTFS).cpio.gz )
+	( cd $(TARGET_DIR); find . | $(STAGING_DIR_HOST)/bin/cpio -o -H newc -R root:root | gzip -9n >$(BIN_DIR)/$(IMG_ROOTFS).cpio.gz )
   endef
 endif
 
diff --git a/include/kernel-defaults.mk b/include/kernel-defaults.mk
index 4b39296f8c..c246857cd3 100644
--- a/include/kernel-defaults.mk
+++ b/include/kernel-defaults.mk
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ ifeq ($(CONFIG_TARGET_ROOTFS_INITRAMFS_SEPERATE),y)
 ifeq ($(CONFIG_EXTERNAL_CPIO),y)
 	$(CP) $(CONFIG_EXTERNAL_CPIO) $(KERNEL_BUILD_DIR)/initrd.cpio
 else
-	( cd $(TARGET_DIR); find . | cpio -o -H newc -R root:root > $(KERNEL_BUILD_DIR)/initrd.cpio )
+	( cd $(TARGET_DIR); find . | $(STAGING_DIR_HOST)/bin/cpio -o -H newc -R root:root > $(KERNEL_BUILD_DIR)/initrd.cpio )
 endif
 	$(if $(CONFIG_TARGET_INITRAMFS_COMPRESSION_BZIP2),bzip2 -9 -c < $(KERNEL_BUILD_DIR)/initrd.cpio > $(KERNEL_BUILD_DIR)/initrd.cpio.bzip2)
 	$(if $(CONFIG_TARGET_INITRAMFS_COMPRESSION_GZIP),gzip -f -S .gzip -9n $(KERNEL_BUILD_DIR)/initrd.cpio)
diff --git a/include/unpack.mk b/include/unpack.mk
index 6a56b8e742..ebece69978 100644
--- a/include/unpack.mk
+++ b/include/unpack.mk
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ ifeq ($(strip $(UNPACK_CMD)),)
       UNPACK_CMD=$(DECOMPRESS_CMD) $(TAR_CMD)
     endif
     ifeq ($(EXT),cpio)
-      UNPACK_CMD=$(DECOMPRESS_CMD) (cd $(1)/..; cpio -i -d)
+      UNPACK_CMD=$(DECOMPRESS_CMD) (cd $(1)/..; $(STAGING_DIR_HOST)/bin/cpio -i -d)
     endif
     ifeq ($(EXT),zip)
       UNPACK_CMD=$(UNZIP_CMD)