diff --git a/make/py-topdir.mk b/make/py-topdir.mk
index 75d95b50..73b32fb6 100644
--- a/make/py-topdir.mk
+++ b/make/py-topdir.mk
@@ -19,8 +19,7 @@ clean: clean.topdir
 clean.topdir: clean.py-check
 
 pyproject.toml:
-	$(PYTHON) $(JWB_SCRIPT_DIR)/jw-pkg.py -p $(PROJECTS_DIR) -t $(TOPDIR) --topdir-format unaltered projects create-file --format tmpl \
-		--template-name $@ --search-path $(JW_PKG_CONF_BASE_DIR)/templates --field mypypath='$(MYPY_PATH_DIRECTIVE)' $(PROJECT) > $@.tmp
+	$(JW_PKG_TMPL_UPDATE) $@ --field mypypath='$(MYPY_PATH_DIRECTIVE)' $(PROJECT) > $@.tmp
 	mv $@.tmp $@
 
 pyrightconfig.json:
diff --git a/make/topdir.mk b/make/topdir.mk
index 0573e7f0..0a9cb67f 100644
--- a/make/topdir.mk
+++ b/make/topdir.mk
@@ -95,6 +95,10 @@ ifneq ($(SUBDIRS_TO_ITERATE),)
   endif
 endif
 
+JW_PKG_TMPL_SEARCH_PATH     ?= $(JW_PKG_CONF_BASE_DIR)/templates
+JW_PKG_TMPL_UPDATE          ?= $(PYTHON) $(JWB_SCRIPT_DIR)/jw-pkg.py -p $(PROJECTS_DIR) -t $(TOPDIR) --topdir-format unaltered \
+				projects create-file --format tmpl --search-path $(subst $(space),:,$(JW_PKG_TMPL_SEARCH_PATH)) --template-name
+
 all: topdir config
 test: all