diff --git a/core/sub.mk b/core/sub.mk
index 2dca59a2260..1dc49daa3f8 100644
--- a/core/sub.mk
+++ b/core/sub.mk
@@ -22,5 +22,5 @@ recipe-early-ta-$1 = scripts/ta_bin_to_c.py --compress --ta $1 \
 cleanfiles += $(sub-dir-out)/early_ta_$$(early-ta-$1-uuid).c
 cflags-remove-early-ta-$1-y := -pedantic
 endef
-$(foreach f, $(EARLY_TA), $(eval $(call process_early_ta,$(f))))
+$(foreach f, $(EARLY_TA_PATHS), $(eval $(call process_early_ta,$(f))))
 endif
diff --git a/mk/config.mk b/mk/config.mk
index a0a080945f4..d7c45b84167 100644
--- a/mk/config.mk
+++ b/mk/config.mk
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ CFG_REE_FS_TA ?= y
 #   $ make ... CFG_EARLY_TA=y # Enable the feature to avoid later recompilation
 #   <build some TAs>
 #   $ make ... EARLY_TA_PATHS=<paths> # Embbed the TA(s) (will re-link OP-TEE)
-ifneq ($(EARLY_TA),)
+ifneq ($(EARLY_TA_PATHS),)
 $(call force,CFG_EARLY_TA,y)
 else
 CFG_EARLY_TA ?= n