diff --git a/package/cups-filters/cups-filters.mk b/package/cups-filters/cups-filters.mk
index 82ea46dd94..131e58246e 100644
--- a/package/cups-filters/cups-filters.mk
+++ b/package/cups-filters/cups-filters.mk
@@ -40,7 +40,8 @@ else
 CUPS_FILTERS_CONF_OPTS += --disable-dbus
 endif
 
-ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_AVAHI),y)
+# avahi support requires avahi-client, which needs avahi-daemon and dbus
+ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_AVAHI_DAEMON)$(BR2_PACKAGE_DBUS),yy)
 CUPS_FILTERS_DEPENDENCIES += avahi
 CUPS_FILTERS_CONF_OPTS += --enable-avahi
 else