diff --git a/packages/sysutils/bash/build b/packages/sysutils/bash/build
index 3a0f224468..75f17651c3 100755
--- a/packages/sysutils/bash/build
+++ b/packages/sysutils/bash/build
@@ -31,7 +31,8 @@ bash_cv_job_control_missing=present \
             --with-gnu-ld \
             --enable-job-control \
             --without-bash-malloc \
-            --disable-readline \
+            --with-curses \
+            --enable-readline \
             --without-installed-readline \
             --disable-nls \
             --disable-rpath \
diff --git a/packages/sysutils/bash/meta b/packages/sysutils/bash/meta
index 4b7d7c0359..2b0e3d59df 100644
--- a/packages/sysutils/bash/meta
+++ b/packages/sysutils/bash/meta
@@ -25,8 +25,8 @@ PKG_ARCH="any"
 PKG_LICENSE="GPL"
 PKG_SITE="http://www.gnu.org/software/bash"
 PKG_URL="http://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/$PKG_NAME/$PKG_NAME-$PKG_VERSION.tar.gz"
-PKG_DEPENDS=""
-PKG_BUILD_DEPENDS="toolchain"
+PKG_DEPENDS="ncurses"
+PKG_BUILD_DEPENDS="toolchain ncurses"
 PKG_PRIORITY="required"
 PKG_SECTION="system"
 PKG_SHORTDESC="bash: Bourne Again Shell"