diff --git a/easybuild/framework/easyconfig/templates.py b/easybuild/framework/easyconfig/templates.py
index e1ac187eee..c16261676a 100644
--- a/easybuild/framework/easyconfig/templates.py
+++ b/easybuild/framework/easyconfig/templates.py
@@ -130,7 +130,9 @@
     ('GNU_SAVANNAH_SOURCE', 'https://download-mirror.savannah.gnu.org/releases/%(namelower)s',
      'download.savannah.gnu.org source url'),
     ('GNU_SOURCE', 'https://ftpmirror.gnu.org/gnu/%(namelower)s',
-     'gnu.org source url'),
+     'gnu.org source url (ftp mirror)'),
+    ('GNU_FTP_SOURCE', 'https://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/%(namelower)s',
+     'gnu.org source url (main ftp)'),
     ('GOOGLECODE_SOURCE', 'http://%(namelower)s.googlecode.com/files',
      'googlecode.com source url'),
     ('LAUNCHPAD_SOURCE', 'https://launchpad.net/%(namelower)s/%(version_major_minor)s.x/%(version)s/+download/',