diff --git a/boot/barebox/Config.in b/boot/barebox/Config.in
index 3961c69c56..dba4a1a8d6 100644
--- a/boot/barebox/Config.in
+++ b/boot/barebox/Config.in
@@ -54,6 +54,18 @@ config BR2_TARGET_BAREBOX_CUSTOM_PATCH_DIR
 
 	  Most users may leave this empty
 
+config BR2_TARGET_BAREBOX_NEEDS_OPENSSL
+	bool "Barebox needs OpenSSL"
+	help
+	  Select this option if your Barebox board configuration
+	  requires OpenSSL to be available on the host.
+
+config BR2_TARGET_BAREBOX_NEEDS_LIBUSB
+	bool "Barebox needs LibUSB"
+	help
+	  Select this option if your Barebox board configuration
+	  requires libUSB to be available on the host.
+
 if BR2_TARGET_BAREBOX_CUSTOM_GIT
 
 config BR2_TARGET_BAREBOX_CUSTOM_GIT_REPO_URL
diff --git a/boot/barebox/barebox.mk b/boot/barebox/barebox.mk
index d7bcafe436..4c9df8d618 100644
--- a/boot/barebox/barebox.mk
+++ b/boot/barebox/barebox.mk
@@ -43,6 +43,14 @@ ifeq ($(BR2_TARGET_BAREBOX_LATEST_VERSION),y)
 $(1)_LICENSE_FILES = COPYING
 endif
 
+ifeq ($(BR2_TARGET_BAREBOX_NEEDS_OPENSSL),y)
+BAREBOX_DEPENDENCIES += host-openssl host-pkgconf
+endif
+
+ifeq ($(BR2_TARGET_BAREBOX_NEEDS_LIBUSB),y)
+BAREBOX_DEPENDENCIES += host-libusb host-pkgconf
+endif
+
 $(1)_CUSTOM_EMBEDDED_ENV_PATH = $$(call qstrip,$$(BR2_TARGET_$(1)_CUSTOM_EMBEDDED_ENV_PATH))
 
 ifneq ($$(call qstrip,$$(BR2_TARGET_BAREBOX_CUSTOM_PATCH_DIR)),)
@@ -73,6 +81,12 @@ endif
 
 $(1)_MAKE_FLAGS = ARCH=$$($(1)_ARCH) CROSS_COMPILE="$$(TARGET_CROSS)"
 $(1)_MAKE_ENV = $$(TARGET_MAKE_ENV)
+$(1)_MAKE_ENV += \
+	PKG_CONFIG="$(PKG_CONFIG_HOST_BINARY)" \
+	PKG_CONFIG_SYSROOT_DIR="/" \
+	PKG_CONFIG_ALLOW_SYSTEM_CFLAGS=1 \
+	PKG_CONFIG_ALLOW_SYSTEM_LIBS=1 \
+	PKG_CONFIG_LIBDIR="$(HOST_DIR)/lib/pkgconfig:$(HOST_DIR)/share/pkgconfig"
 
 ifeq ($$(BR2_REPRODUCIBLE),y)
 $(1)_MAKE_ENV += \