diff --git a/packages/compress/zlib/package.mk b/packages/compress/zlib/package.mk
index 989017412f..d2a862fb64 100644
--- a/packages/compress/zlib/package.mk
+++ b/packages/compress/zlib/package.mk
@@ -23,10 +23,9 @@ PKG_ARCH="any"
 PKG_LICENSE="OSS"
 PKG_SITE="http://www.zlib.net"
 PKG_URL="http://www.zlib.net/$PKG_NAME-$PKG_VERSION.tar.xz"
-PKG_DEPENDS=""
-PKG_BUILD_DEPENDS_TARGET="toolchain"
-PKG_BUILD_DEPENDS_HOST=""
-PKG_BUILD_DEPENDS_INIT=""
+PKG_DEPENDS_TARGET="toolchain"
+PKG_DEPENDS_HOST=""
+PKG_DEPENDS_INIT="toolchain"
 PKG_PRIORITY="optional"
 PKG_SECTION="compress"
 PKG_SHORTDESC="zlib: A general purpose (ZIP) data compression library"