diff --git a/packages/tools/nano/package.mk b/packages/tools/nano/package.mk
index e0cdd130af..741b7b49c0 100644
--- a/packages/tools/nano/package.mk
+++ b/packages/tools/nano/package.mk
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@ PKG_LONGDESC="GNU nano (Nano's ANOther editor, or Not ANOther editor) is an enha
 PKG_IS_ADDON="no"
 PKG_AUTORECONF="yes"
 
+PKG_CONFIGURE_OPTS_TARGET="--disable-utf8"
+
 export CFLAGS="$CFLAGS -I$SYSROOT_PREFIX/usr/include/ncurses"
 export LDFLAGS=`echo $LDFLAGS | sed -e "s|-Wl,--as-needed||"`
 export LIBS="$LIBS -lz"