diff --git a/packages/tools/nano/package.mk b/packages/tools/nano/package.mk
index d7916fe54d..4f875660b9 100644
--- a/packages/tools/nano/package.mk
+++ b/packages/tools/nano/package.mk
@@ -23,8 +23,7 @@ PKG_ARCH="any"
 PKG_LICENSE="GPL"
 PKG_SITE="http://www.nano-editor.org/"
 PKG_URL="http://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/nano/$PKG_NAME-$PKG_VERSION.tar.gz"
-PKG_DEPENDS="ncurses"
-PKG_BUILD_DEPENDS_TARGET="toolchain ncurses"
+PKG_DEPENDS_TARGET="toolchain ncurses"
 PKG_PRIORITY="optional"
 PKG_SECTION="shell/texteditor"
 PKG_SHORTDESC="nano: Pico editor clone with enhancements"
@@ -35,6 +34,7 @@ PKG_AUTORECONF="yes"
 
 export CFLAGS="$CFLAGS -I$SYSROOT_PREFIX/usr/include/ncurses"
 export LDFLAGS=`echo $LDFLAGS | sed -e "s|-Wl,--as-needed||"`
+export LIBS="$LIBS -lz"
 
 post_makeinstall_target() {
   rm -rf $INSTALL/usr/share/nano/man-html