diff --git a/package/base-files/files/lib/config/uci.sh b/package/base-files/files/lib/config/uci.sh
index bd1322252e..12795d813f 100755
--- a/package/base-files/files/lib/config/uci.sh
+++ b/package/base-files/files/lib/config/uci.sh
@@ -127,7 +127,8 @@ uci_commit() {
 			return 0
 		}
 		
-		config_load "$PACKAGE" || CONFIG_FILENAME="$ROOT/etc/config/$PACKAGE_BASE"
+		config_load "$PACKAGE"
+		CONFIG_FILENAME="${CONFIG_FILENAME:-$ROOT/etc/config/$PACKAGE_BASE}"
 		uci_do_update "$CONFIG_FILENAME" "$updatestr" > "/tmp/.uci/$PACKAGE_BASE.new" && {
 			mv -f "/tmp/.uci/$PACKAGE_BASE.new" "$CONFIG_FILENAME" && \
 			rm -f "/tmp/.uci/$PACKAGE_BASE"