diff --git a/package/busybox/busybox.mk b/package/busybox/busybox.mk
index 1d3d202f53..55c3d25b8e 100644
--- a/package/busybox/busybox.mk
+++ b/package/busybox/busybox.mk
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ BUSYBOX_LDFLAGS = \
 
 # Packages that provide commands that may also be busybox applets:
 BUSYBOX_DEPENDENCIES = \
+	$(if $(BR2_PACKAGE_NMAP),nmap) \
 	$(if $(BR2_PACKAGE_NTP),ntp) \
 	$(if $(BR2_PACKAGE_PCIUTILS),pciutils) \
 	$(if $(BR2_PACKAGE_PROCPS_NG),procps-ng) \
diff --git a/package/nmap/nmap.mk b/package/nmap/nmap.mk
index 1c89b5424e..420aec82d7 100644
--- a/package/nmap/nmap.mk
+++ b/package/nmap/nmap.mk
@@ -76,12 +76,6 @@ else
 NMAP_CONF_OPTS += --without-nping
 endif
 
-# If we are going to install ncat, ensure Busybox gets built/installed
-# before, so that this package overrides Busybox nc.
-ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_NMAP_NCAT)$(BR2_PACKAGE_BUSYBOX),yy)
-NMAP_DEPENDENCIES += busybox
-endif
-
 # Add a symlink to "nc" if none of the competing netcats is selected
 ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_NMAP_NCAT):$(BR2_PACKAGE_NETCAT)$(BR2_PACKAGE_NETCAT_OPENBSD),y:)
 define NMAP_INSTALL_NCAT_SYMLINK