diff --git a/include/kernel-defaults.mk b/include/kernel-defaults.mk
index 499ecdf3d8..fd75a3f79f 100644
--- a/include/kernel-defaults.mk
+++ b/include/kernel-defaults.mk
@@ -32,6 +32,12 @@ export HOST_EXTRACFLAGS=-I$(STAGING_DIR_HOST)/include
 
 # defined in quilt.mk
 Kernel/Patch:=$(Kernel/Patch/Default)
+
+KERNEL_GIT_OPTS:=
+ifneq ($(strip $(CONFIG_KERNEL_GIT_LOCAL_REPOSITORY)),"")
+  KERNEL_GIT_OPTS+=--reference $(CONFIG_KERNEL_GIT_LOCAL_REPOSITORY)
+endif
+
 ifeq ($(strip $(CONFIG_EXTERNAL_KERNEL_TREE)),"")
   ifeq ($(strip $(CONFIG_KERNEL_GIT_CLONE_URI)),"")
     define Kernel/Prepare/Default
@@ -41,7 +47,7 @@ ifeq ($(strip $(CONFIG_EXTERNAL_KERNEL_TREE)),"")
     endef
   else
     define Kernel/Prepare/Default
-	git clone $(CONFIG_KERNEL_GIT_CLONE_URI) $(LINUX_DIR)
+	git clone $(KERNEL_GIT_OPTS) $(CONFIG_KERNEL_GIT_CLONE_URI) $(LINUX_DIR)
     endef
   endif
 else