diff --git a/package/systemd/systemd.mk b/package/systemd/systemd.mk
index 10e11a9277..04775ee778 100644
--- a/package/systemd/systemd.mk
+++ b/package/systemd/systemd.mk
@@ -283,6 +283,7 @@ endif
 
 ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_SYSTEMD_POLKIT),y)
 SYSTEMD_CONF_OPTS += -Dpolkit=true
+SYSTEMD_DEPENDENCIES += polkit
 else
 SYSTEMD_CONF_OPTS += -Dpolkit=false
 endif