diff --git a/tools/cmake/project.cmake b/tools/cmake/project.cmake
index 2ec9ea4a6..a18655b2a 100644
--- a/tools/cmake/project.cmake
+++ b/tools/cmake/project.cmake
@@ -217,18 +217,18 @@ function(__project_init components_var test_components_var)
                     "but component manager is not enabled. Please set IDF_COMPONENT_MANAGER environment variable.")
         endif()
 
+        spaces2list(EXTRA_COMPONENT_DIRS)
+        foreach(component_dir ${EXTRA_COMPONENT_DIRS})
+            __project_component_dir("${component_dir}")
+        endforeach()
+
+        __project_component_dir("${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/components")
+
         # Look for components in the usual places: CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR/main,
         # CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR/components, and the extra component dirs
         if(EXISTS "${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/main")
             __project_component_dir("${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/main")
         endif()
-
-        __project_component_dir("${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/components")
-
-        spaces2list(EXTRA_COMPONENT_DIRS)
-        foreach(component_dir ${EXTRA_COMPONENT_DIRS})
-            __project_component_dir("${component_dir}")
-        endforeach()
     endif()
 
     spaces2list(COMPONENTS)