diff --git a/libs/pcre2/Makefile b/libs/pcre2/Makefile
index 4e75a1cda..1bd6d2759 100644
--- a/libs/pcre2/Makefile
+++ b/libs/pcre2/Makefile
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ PKG_CONFIG_DEPENDS:=\
 	CONFIG_PACKAGE_libpcre2-32 \
 	CONFIG_PCRE2_JIT_ENABLED
 
+PKG_BUILD_DEPENDS:=zlib
+
 include $(INCLUDE_DIR)/package.mk
 include $(INCLUDE_DIR)/cmake.mk