diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index a86049960c200344b4ef7b662fedc1b2b2630129..e6a9af391b373c72f916e1b4018017af2ffda4f4 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -32,3 +32,6 @@ tags
 # Eclipse symbol file (output from make eclipsesym)
 eclipsesym.xml
 /toolchain
+
+# local override files
+Makefile.local
diff --git a/Makefile.include b/Makefile.include
index dcbc2efc2569b883ea4c79318cfd7f10070578f4..b5a1e9793742986b21a2c45d6787365376f808f2 100644
--- a/Makefile.include
+++ b/Makefile.include
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+# include Makefile.local if it exists
+-include Makefile.local
+
 all:
 
 # set undefined variables