diff --git a/package/gdb/gdb.mk b/package/gdb/gdb.mk
index f9010019f5..4ead75289e 100644
--- a/package/gdb/gdb.mk
+++ b/package/gdb/gdb.mk
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_GDB_DEBUGGER),y)
 GDB_CONF_OPTS += \
 	--enable-gdb \
 	--with-curses
-GDB_DEPENDENCIES = ncurses \
+GDB_DEPENDENCIES += ncurses \
 	$(if $(BR2_PACKAGE_LIBICONV),libiconv)
 else
 GDB_CONF_OPTS += \