diff --git a/package/libs/zlib/Makefile b/package/libs/zlib/Makefile
index 2650faa139..94977b0589 100644
--- a/package/libs/zlib/Makefile
+++ b/package/libs/zlib/Makefile
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ PKG_CPE_ID:=cpe:/a:gnu:zlib
 
 PKG_CONFIG_DEPENDS:= CONFIG_ZLIB_OPTIMIZE_SPEED
 
+include $(INCLUDE_DIR)/host-build.mk
 include $(INCLUDE_DIR)/package.mk
 include $(INCLUDE_DIR)/cmake.mk
 
@@ -96,5 +97,6 @@ define Package/zlib-dev/install
 	  $(1)/usr/lib/pkgconfig/
 endef
 
+$(eval $(call HostBuild))
 $(eval $(call BuildPackage,zlib))
 $(eval $(call BuildPackage,zlib-dev))