diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 82af32ddb64..77755168edf 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -230,6 +230,16 @@ set(ENV{HOST_OTHER} n)
 
 include(nuttx_sethost)
 
+option(NXTMPDIR "Create the nxtmpdir folder for third-party packages." OFF)
+
+include(nuttx_3rdparty)
+
+if(NXTMPDIR)
+  nuttx_make_nxtmpdir()
+else()
+  nuttx_remove_nxtmpdir()
+endif()
+
 include(nuttx_parse_function_args)
 include(nuttx_add_subdirectory)
 include(nuttx_create_symlink)
diff --git a/arch/risc-v/src/common/espressif/CMakeLists.txt b/arch/risc-v/src/common/espressif/CMakeLists.txt
index c948bd9b385..10e1415e0c9 100644
--- a/arch/risc-v/src/common/espressif/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/arch/risc-v/src/common/espressif/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -243,8 +243,6 @@ if(NOT IS_DIRECTORY "${ESP_HAL_3RDPARTY_REPO}")
   # NXTMPDIR contains a cached version of the esp-hal-3rdparty repository, which
   # is located on nuttx/../nxtmpdir/esp-hal-3rdparty if it exists.
   if(NXTMPDIR)
-    include(${NUTTX_DIR}/cmake/nuttx_3rdparty.cmake)
-    nuttx_make_nxtmpdir()
     set(ESP_HAL_NXTMPDIR_CACHE "${NXTMPDIR_PATH}/${ESP_HAL_3RDPARTY_REPO_NAME}")
     get_filename_component(ESP_HAL_NXTMPDIR_CACHE "${ESP_HAL_NXTMPDIR_CACHE}"
                            REALPATH)
diff --git a/cmake/nuttx_3rdparty.cmake b/cmake/nuttx_3rdparty.cmake
index 2bd3d0835da..593bbcd84b1 100644
--- a/cmake/nuttx_3rdparty.cmake
+++ b/cmake/nuttx_3rdparty.cmake
@@ -40,6 +40,21 @@ function(nuttx_make_nxtmpdir)
   endif()
 endfunction()
 
+# ~~~
+# nuttx_remove_nxtmpdir
+#
+# Description:
+#   Remove the third-party cache directory under nuttx/../nxtmpdir
+#
+# ~~~
+
+function(nuttx_remove_nxtmpdir)
+  set(_nxtmpdir "${NUTTX_DIR}/../nxtmpdir")
+  if(EXISTS "${_nxtmpdir}")
+    file(REMOVE_RECURSE "${_nxtmpdir}")
+  endif()
+endfunction()
+
 # ~~~
 # nuttx_check_git_hash
 #