diff --git a/package/ltris/ltris.mk b/package/ltris/ltris.mk
index e77f2ac931..530e11e06b 100644
--- a/package/ltris/ltris.mk
+++ b/package/ltris/ltris.mk
@@ -12,18 +12,22 @@ LTRIS_LICENSE_FILES = COPYING
 LTRIS_DEPENDENCIES = sdl
 
 LTRIS_CONF_ENV = \
-	SDL_CONFIG="$(STAGING_DIR)/usr/bin/sdl-config"
+	SDL_CONFIG="$(STAGING_DIR)/usr/bin/sdl-config" \
+	LIBS="$(LTRIS_LIBS)"
 
 ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_LTRIS_AUDIO),y)
-LTRIS_DEPENDENCIES += sdl_mixer
+LTRIS_DEPENDENCIES += sdl_mixer host-pkgconf
 LTRIS_CONF_OPTS += --enable-audio=yes
+# configure script does NOT use pkg-config to figure out how to link
+# with sdl_mixer, breaking static linking as sdl_mixer can use libmad
+LTRIS_LIBS += `$(PKG_CONFIG_HOST_BINARY) --libs SDL_mixer`
 else
 LTRIS_CONF_OPTS += --disable-audio
 endif
 
 ifeq ($(BR2_NEEDS_GETTEXT_IF_LOCALE),y)
 LTRIS_DEPENDENCIES += gettext
-LTRIS_CONF_ENV += LIBS=-lintl
+LTRIS_LIBS += -lintl
 endif
 
 $(eval $(autotools-package))