diff --git a/package/libs/libubox/Makefile b/package/libs/libubox/Makefile
index ba0d6b8fea..4ca3112b5e 100644
--- a/package/libs/libubox/Makefile
+++ b/package/libs/libubox/Makefile
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@ PKG_LICENSE_FILES:=
 
 PKG_MAINTAINER:=Felix Fietkau <nbd@openwrt.org>
 
+PKG_BUILD_DEPENDS:=lua
+
 include $(INCLUDE_DIR)/package.mk
 include $(INCLUDE_DIR)/cmake.mk