diff --git a/tools/sed/Makefile b/tools/sed/Makefile
index c523f33e6..1a6e90a30 100644
--- a/tools/sed/Makefile
+++ b/tools/sed/Makefile
@@ -2,5 +2,6 @@
 
 HOSTPROGNAME=	${_TOOL_PREFIX}sed
 HOST_SRCDIR=	usr.bin/sed
+SYMLINKS=	# defined so usr.bin/sed/Makefile does not set it
 
 .include "${.CURDIR}/../Makefile.host"
diff --git a/usr.bin/sed/Makefile b/usr.bin/sed/Makefile
index 8ab716a1d..82d93ea21 100644
--- a/usr.bin/sed/Makefile
+++ b/usr.bin/sed/Makefile
@@ -6,6 +6,6 @@
 PROG=	sed
 SRCS=	compile.c main.c misc.c process.c
 
-SYMLINKS=    ${BINDIR}/sed /bin/sed
+SYMLINKS?=    ${BINDIR}/sed /bin/sed
 
 .include <bsd.prog.mk>