diff --git a/Config.in.legacy b/Config.in.legacy
index 2811c7b76c..c8039ba9b9 100644
--- a/Config.in.legacy
+++ b/Config.in.legacy
@@ -567,12 +567,19 @@ config BR2_PACKAGE_QT5QUICK1
 	  from upstream starting from Qt 5.6.
 
 config BR2_TARGET_UBOOT_CUSTOM_PATCH_DIR
-	bool "uboot custom patch dir removed"
-	select BR2_LEGACY
+	string "uboot custom patch dir has been removed"
 	help
 	  The uboot custom patch directory option has been removed. Use
 	  the improved BR2_TARGET_UBOOT_PATCH option instead.
 
+config BR2_TARGET_UBOOT_CUSTOM_PATCH_DIR_WRAP
+	bool
+	default y if BR2_TARGET_UBOOT_CUSTOM_PATCH_DIR != ""
+	select BR2_LEGACY
+
+# Note: BR2_TARGET_UBOOT_CUSTOM_PATCH_DIR is still referenced from
+# boot/uboot/Config.in
+
 config BR2_PACKAGE_XDRIVER_XF86_INPUT_VOID
 	bool "xf86-input-void removed"
 	select BR2_LEGACY
diff --git a/boot/uboot/Config.in b/boot/uboot/Config.in
index 3b4bfac070..2a9f14a121 100644
--- a/boot/uboot/Config.in
+++ b/boot/uboot/Config.in
@@ -95,6 +95,7 @@ config BR2_TARGET_UBOOT_VERSION
 
 config BR2_TARGET_UBOOT_PATCH
 	string "Custom U-Boot patches"
+	default BR2_TARGET_UBOOT_CUSTOM_PATCH_DIR if BR2_TARGET_UBOOT_CUSTOM_PATCH_DIR != ""  # legacy
 	help
 	  A space-separated list of patches to apply to U-Boot.
 	  Each patch can be described as an URL, a local file path,