diff --git a/package/gnulib/gnulib.mk b/package/gnulib/gnulib.mk
index a195498a..0e7368b0 100644
--- a/package/gnulib/gnulib.mk
+++ b/package/gnulib/gnulib.mk
@@ -10,4 +10,4 @@ GNULIB_SOURCE = gnulib-$(GNULIB_VERSION)-stable.tar.gz
 GNULIB_SITE = http://erislabs.net/ianb/projects/gnulib
 
 gnulib:
-	$(call DOWNLOAD,$($(PKG)_SOURCE))
+	$(call download-package)
diff --git a/package/pkg-utils.mk b/package/pkg-utils.mk
index 3ed21eb8..9f6aebf8 100644
--- a/package/pkg-utils.mk
+++ b/package/pkg-utils.mk
@@ -261,6 +261,9 @@ define DOWNLOAD
 	$(foreach hook,$($(PKG)_POST_DOWNLOAD_HOOKS),$(call $(hook))$(sep))
 endef
 
+# just a wrapper for niceness
+download-package = $(call DOWNLOAD,$($(PKG)_SOURCE))
+
 # -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 # unpack archives into given directory
diff --git a/package/slingshot/slingshot.mk b/package/slingshot/slingshot.mk
index 7d868d4e..343547ac 100644
--- a/package/slingshot/slingshot.mk
+++ b/package/slingshot/slingshot.mk
@@ -10,4 +10,4 @@ SLINGSHOT_SOURCE = slingshot-$(SLINGSHOT_VERSION).tar.gz
 SLINGSHOT_SITE = $(call github,gvvaughan,slingshot,v$(SLINGSHOT_VERSION))
 
 slingshot:
-	$(call DOWNLOAD,$($(PKG)_SOURCE))
+	$(call download-package)