diff --git a/package/popt/popt.mk b/package/popt/popt.mk
index 863a47a658..3ab53880d5 100644
--- a/package/popt/popt.mk
+++ b/package/popt/popt.mk
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ POPT_CONF_ENV = ac_cv_va_copy=yes
 ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_LIBICONV),y)
 POPT_CONF_ENV += am_cv_lib_iconv=yes
 POPT_CONF_OPTS += --with-libiconv-prefix=$(STAGING_DIR)/usr
+POPT_DEPENDENCIES += libiconv
 endif
 
 $(eval $(autotools-package))